Sir Alec Shelbrooke

Sir Alec Shelbrooke

Conservative — Wetherby and Easingwold

Speaking in the House of Commons on 2 June 2025

Debate

Strategic Defence Review

Contribution

I welcome the defence review—it sets a direction and there is much in it—but I do not agree with paragraph 20 on page 68: “Defence should only run training and education itself when it cannot be obtained externally at suitable quality and cost.” I think that ties in with paragraph 4 on page 105: “As it reconsiders its training estate needs, the Navy should ensure there is ‘capacity by design’”. I worry that that would mean the closing of the Dartmouth academy. Let me explain why I have linked those two statements. I am sure the Secretary of State has visited the United States naval officer training academy in Annapolis. The model there brings a real fellowship to people who want to stay in the armed forces because of all the things offered through the degrees and so on. I will perhaps expand on those comments when we have a further debate, but will the Secretary of State give a reassurance that great institutions and buildings such as Dartmouth will not be closed under this review?

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