The Minister visited some of the aircraft and met with personnel stationed at the base. RNAS Culdrose is the heart of the naval air fleet, where naval aviators train. The base is an important part of the programme, which will deliver the two Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers, the largest warships ever built in the UK and from which the UK’s new F-35B Lightning II jets will fly.

After visiting the Merlin training facility, the Defence Minister saw the Dummy Flight Deck, designed to train QEC aircraft handlers among others, where she witnessed live training exercises. The skilled aircrew and engineers at the base specialise in anti-submarine warfare and Airborne Surveillance and Control.

Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin, said:

It was an honour to visit one of Europe’s largest helicopter bases and meet the men and women behind its success. The state-of-the art facilities are helping to test and safeguard our maritime aircraft capacity.

The base provides 3,000 civilian and military jobs and is one of the biggest single-site employers in Cornwall, pumping £100m into the local economy every year, bringing welcome regional investment.

Many of the Merlins based at Culdrose will be fitted with the Crowsnest system, as announced recently in a £269 million deal. The system will act as the eyes and ears for the Royal Navy’s ships, providing long range air, maritime and land detection and tracking capability. Crowsnest is an important step in the ambitious carrier programme, which will be vital to protect the new vessels.

The Commanding Officer of RNAS Culdrose, Captain Danny Stembridge ADC said:

It was a privilege to welcome the Defence Minister to Culdrose this week, and to discuss the vital role its people continue to play in the defence of our nation. She visits at a very important time for us; whilst we continue to deliver our primary roles of protecting the Nuclear Deterrent and supporting Counter Terrorism, we are also getting ready to defend the Royal Navy’s Carrier Task Groups.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Nation’s new flagship, will sail into Portsmouth Harbour this year and Naval Air Power will be at the forefront of this nation’s deployed capabilities. It is essential that we at RNAS Culdrose are ready to play our important role in this exciting new venture. Indeed, aircraft from 820 Naval Air Squadron, will be the very first to land on the flight deck of the new carrier.

The Minister also visited A&P Group and World Fuels at Falmouth docks. A&P support and maintain the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s four Bay Class ships, one of which is currently stationed in The Gulf. Last year the ships conducted operations in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said:

I am delighted to be in Falmouth, which has a vital ship repair capability, sustaining jobs and part of a UK-wide carrier effort.

Sir Michael’s announcement came as he watched a battle demonstration at Arbroath as 45 Commando begin training to play a lead role in NATO’s Very High Readiness Group from 2018. This will see them working and training with allies, and place them at the forefront of an international emergency should any arise.

Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon said:

Our Royal Marines are at the heart of Britain’s global role as we do more to support our NATO allies. Their future in Scotland is secure, with those based at Arbroath deployed on ships all around the world as well as working with our European partners to tackle illegal immigration in the Mediterranean, which helps save lives and keep our United Kingdom safer and more secure.

On the visit, Sir Michael Fallon awarded two Royal Navy ranks serving with 45 Commando their Long Service and Good Conduct Medals (LSGC). Petty Officer (Chef) Ian Dixon and Petty Officer (Medical Assistant) Jamie Jackson received their medals in recognition of having maintained perfect military records for 15 years. The men are originally from Lancashire and Derbyshire.

Earlier this month 45 Commando led 400 of their fellow commandos from the Royal Marines’ three main fighting units into the snow and sub-zero temperatures of the Scottish Highlands as they honed winter warfare skills ahead of deploying to northern Norway. In Scandinavia, the Marines can expect temperatures as low as -30˚C, much colder than the -12˚C experiences on the slopes of the Highlands.

The other Royal Marine presence in Scotland is 43 Commando who are based at Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde where they protect the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent. Both units are part of the Royal Navy’s elite amphibious infantry who are ready to deploy at short notice both at home and overseas.

45 Commando

• In addition to 650 commandos, 45 Commando employs 30 MOD civilians.

• The unit moved to Arbroath and RM Condor in 1971 after spending much of the 1950s and 60s deployed.

• Their 1982 Falklands Campaign saw major action with the capture of Two Sisters Mountain, which shaped modern Commando, mountain and cold weather warfare.

• The Unit deployed to Iraq in 2003 on Operation TELIC 1, and to Afghanistan on various Operation HERRICK deployments in 2006, 2008, 2011 in Sangin, Nad Ali and Helmand Province.

Defence Budget

• The UK is investing £178bn in a decade long equipment programme.

• The UK Defence budget has a “double lock” which ensures that it will rise every year by at least 0.5% annually, above inflation and always exceed 2% of GDP.

UK

• The UK Government is firmly committed to the future of Defence in Scotland and its continued vital role in Defence.

• Scotland is home to military bases that provide essential capabilities for the Defence of the UK as a whole.

• By 2020, Scotland will be home to all of the Royal Navy’s submarines, one of the Army’s engagement and resilience Infantry Brigades, one of three RAF fast jet main operating bases and new P8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

From the end of February 2017 the Marine Management Organisation will routinely publish information and documents it receives from advisors, organisations and the wider public in response to marine licence consultations.

The MMO is writing to the affected organisations which provide advice and comment on marine licence applications to explain the development in greater detail and public notices will be amended to make clear to those wishing to make a representation that their comments will be published.

Why additional information is being published

The MMO is not legally required to proactively publish the additional information but is doing so as part of its commitment to openness and transparent decision-making. It already uses the selected cases section of its website to release information where cases are of significant public interest, or when details have been requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and/or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIRs).

This new approach is also in line with the actions of local planning authorities in relation to land-based developments.

The public register of marine licence applications

Where people or organisations want to carry out development in the marine area they may need prior permission from the Marine Management Organisation under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Such activities may include construction, dredging, deposits or removal. This consent is referred to as a marine licence.

The online public register holds details of marine licence applications and relevant documents. It also lists marine licence applications which are open for public consultation.

In this role Sir Mark will lead the establishment of UKRI and ensure it plays a central role at the heart of the Industrial Strategy.

Subject to the passage of the Higher Education and Research Bill through parliament, UKRI will be established as a single, strategic body that will bring together the 7 Research Councils, Innovate UK and the research and knowledge exchange functions of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

The Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation Jo Johnson said:

I am delighted that Mark has agreed to take on this pivotal role. With his experience of running a large scale research organisation, collaboration with businesses in all sectors and his work at the heart of government, Mark is uniquely placed to lead the establishment of UKRI and ensure the organisation becomes a major voice for UK research and innovation.

Following his appointment Mark will now work closely with the UKRI Chair Sir John Kingman and the research and innovation communities across the UK to shape the new organisation over the coming months, delivering on the Industrial Strategy proposals for investing in science, research and innovation in the UK.

UKRI Chief Executive Designate Prof Sir Mark Walport said:

I am honoured to be appointed as the first Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). My ambition is to make UKRI the world’s leading research and innovation public funding agency.

I look forward to working closely with the Research Councils, Innovate UK and Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) as we work together to create UKRI. I also look forward to working closely with all of our research and innovation communities to provide a strong and coherent voice for UK science and innovation.

UKRI Non-Executive Chair Sir John Kingman said:

I have worked closely with Mark over many years; he is a superb scientific leader who believes passionately in the potential for great science and innovation to make a profound difference to society and to the economy. He is the ideal first leader for UKRI.

Detail on UKRI

Science, research and innovation are key strengths of the UK; vital underpinning elements of our economy and national wellbeing. The UK research and innovation system is world-leading, but there is an opportunity to make it even more effective.

The purpose of Part 3 of the Higher Education and Research Bill is to put in place the legal powers and safeguards that will enable government to protect the UK’s status as a full-spectrum scientific power in the future. The proposals before parliament are to create UKRI, a strong, agile and joined up funder of research and innovation for the UK.

Through UKRI, we are implementing the recommendations of Nobel Prize winning scientist Sir Paul Nurse, who the government asked to lead a review of the UK’s research landscape. In his report, published in November 2015, Sir Paul called on government to “support the Research Councils to collectively make up more than the sum of their parts”, and develop a “smoother pathway to more applied research”.

Subject to the passage of the Higher Education and Research Bill through parliament, UKRI will include the 7 Research Councils, Innovate UK and the research and knowledge exchange functions of HEFCE. This will create a single strategic research and innovation funding body, which will build on and protect the strengths and values of the current system.

UKRI will deliver a strengthened strategic approach to future challenges and a maximisation of the value and benefit from government’s investment of over £6 billion per annum in research and innovation. It will provide a greater focus on cross-cutting issues that are outside the core remits of the current funding bodies, such as multi- and inter-disciplinary research, enabling the system to respond rapidly and effectively to current and future challenges. It will be a strengthened, unified voice for the UK’s research and innovation funding system, facilitating the dialogue with government and partners on the global stage. Furthermore, it will create a smoother pathway for innovation, enabling improved collaboration between businesses and researchers and better alignment of research outputs with business needs.

• Letter from Sir Mark Walport to partner organisations. (PDF, 79.7KB, 2 pages)

Sir Michael Fallon visited MacTaggart Scott, who design, build, install and maintain engineering systems for the Royal Navy – the company’s “shop window” – and 40 of the world’s navies, including the US, French, Canadian, Australian and South Korean.

The visit is part of the Defence Secretary’s on-going engagement with Scotland’s industrial base, 10% of which is defence-related, directly supporting 11,000 Scottish jobs with thousands more sustained. During the visit he met with some of the company’s 32 engineering apprentices, which make up nearly 18% of the firm’s industrial workforce.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

MacTaggart Scott is a terrific example of the benefits that combining innovation, a global outlook and an entrepreneurial spirit can deliver for Scotland as part of the UK.

They are a leading hub of international naval innovative design, manufacture and maintenance and should also be applauded for investing in our young people through their apprenticeship programme.

MacTaggart Scott designed, built and installed the huge lifts that will carry jets and helicopters between the flight decks and hangers on the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, currently being built in Rosyth. They also design and build helicopter handling systems, and are competing for contracts relating to the new Clyde-built Type 26 on which the first steel will be cut this summer.

Remarkably, the company has been involved in every submarine built for the Royal Navy since 1915, and manufacture and provide support to a range of specialist submarine equipment, including stealth mast raising equipment for periscopes, optronics and communications equipment, sonar handling gear, hydroplane, rudder and ballast tank valves and actuators for submarines across the globe.

Bill Marsh, Managing Director of MacTaggart Scott said:

Our innovative work for the Royal Navy’s surface ships and submarines provides us with a vital shop window which sees half of our £35m turnover come from export.

Our ambition is to design, manufacture and install vital equipment and provide through life product support to every single Royal Navy ship and submarine.

• MacTaggart Scott is a privately owned engineering company founded in 1898 and employs 350 people, 32 of whom are apprentices.

Defence Budget

• The UK is investing £178bn in a decade long equipment programme.
• The UK Defence budget has a “double lock” which ensures that it will rise every year by at least 0.5% annually, above inflation and always exceed 2% of GDP.

UK

• Trade with the rest of the UK makes up over half of Scotland’s exports, and is four times the value of exports to the rest of the EU.

• The UK Government is firmly committed to the future of Defence in Scotland and its continued vital role in Defence.

• Scotland is home to military bases that provide essential capabilities for the Defence of the UK as a whole.

• By 2020, Scotland will be home to all of the Royal Navy’s submarines, one of the Army’s engagement and resilience Infantry Brigades, one of three RAF fast jet main operating bases and new P8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft.