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Claims leaving HMS Albion tied up in Plymouth costs £14million a year

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Saturday, March 02, 2013
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Plymouth Herald

CLAIMS that tying up one of Devonport's amphibious assault ships alongside to save money is costing £14million a year has been disputed by the Navy.

The figure for mothballing HMS Albion, as part of the drive to slash military spending, was raised with ministers by a Conservative MP in the Commons, who called on the Government "to put this wonderful ship to sea".

  1. H.M.S-Albion

    HMS Albion at Devonport Dockyard this week, picture by Andy Campfield

  2. HMS Albion  at Devonport and (below) at sea

But the Ministry of Defence insist the actual cost of keeping the vessel in "extended readiness", aimed at saving on fuel and crew, is closer to £300,000 annually.

Urgent clarification is being sought from the Government by Shadow Defence Minister and Plymouth MP Alison Seabeck.

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The 18,500 tonne warship was put on standby in late 2011 according to ministers, just eight years after entering service at a cost of £359million.

It followed the Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review, which has also seen all four of Plymouth's Type 22 frigates scrapped, and moves to cut the Navy by around 5,000 personnel.

According to current plans HMS Albion will remain at Devonport on "extended readiness" until it replaces HMS Bulwark in 2016.

The issue of keeping HMS Albion alongside was raised by Tory MP Richard Drax at defence questions, although he mistakenly said it was Portsmouth-based.

It came as David Cameron suggested that ring-fenced aid money could be diverted to fund military operations aimed at stabilising war-torn states.

Mr Drax said: "I understand that it costs about £14million a year for HMS Bulwark's sister ship, HMS Albion, to sit in Portsmouth doing not very much. Given the Prime Minister's new-found enthusiasm for spending on our armed services, may I suggest that some of the money be used to put this wonderful ship to sea – if for no other reason than to help the Department for International Development?"

Responding Defence Minister Philip Dunne said: "The Prime Minister has always been enthusiastic in his support for defence, but as he knows in October 2010, as part of SDSR 2010, we outlined plans to place one of our two landing platform dock vessels at extended readiness, while holding the other at high readiness for operations.

"HMS Albion entered a period of extended readiness in late 2011, and according to current plans will remain at Her Majesty's naval base Devonport until her upkeep is completed in 2016.

"At that point, HMS Bulwark will go into extended readiness and HMS Albion will be placed at high readiness for operations."

An MoD spokesman insisted the cost of keeping HMS Albion in "extended readiness" was about £300,000 a year.

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10 Comments

  • Profile image for CharlieDodd

    by CharlieDodd

    Sunday, March 03 2013, 5:32PM

    “..'called on the Government to put this amphibious assault ship to sea'..

    Right, there must be a country somewhere we can amphibiously assault”

  • Profile image for pogle63a

    by pogle63a

    Sunday, March 03 2013, 10:51AM

    “Hey ho just goes to show what a complete farce this country really has become. Meanwhile up North they are busy building two of the Largest Aircraft carriers the navy has ever had. We have no planes, pilots or crew to man them but they are being built anyway - at least the are too big to be laid up here in Plymouth. They will have to be left to rot elsewhere.”

  • Profile image for newjanner

    by newjanner

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 10:15PM

    “technomaniac can we use the saved cash to teach plebs to spell?”

  • Profile image for Sue002

    by Sue002

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 6:26PM

    “I think the unemployed should man these ships with ex MP Alison Seabeck as the Captain. Obivously she will take a pay cut but get to do a usefull job.”

  • Profile image for technomanic

    by technomanic

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 11:24AM

    “Here is the solution to this Governments "bonkers" attacks on anything remotely affecting the lives of the plebs in this country.

    Tax and pursue all tax evaders no matter who you are or your status.

    Outlaw jollies on the state by MPs Civil Servents and local councils.

    Withdraw all credit cards and mobile phones issued to the permenant Government and others who drain this country's resources.

    Re-Nationionalise all sold off public assestts so that profits do not go to private wealthy individuals often in the hands of foreign countries.

    Ensure that the elderly and disabled are not demonised and scapegoated by the Tory machine hiding the real drain on this counties assets and it's desaterous spending cuts.

    This Government should treat voters as intelligent entities, instead of spinning their way out of the mess this country is in at the hands of the coalition of the feeble.

    Ban the "bonus" culture which is ripping off every one us directly or indirectly.

    Outlaw paying off the old boy network with vast sums of our cash when quangos and other Government advisory entities are wound up or simply called something else.

    Organisations such as the IPCC, NHS direct, and superfluous arms of Whitehall and other drains on our society be disbanded Imediately. We have hospitals and GPs and emergency services why do we need NHS direct.

    Stop the forced redundancies of police,armed services and nurses which have often have had many thousands of pounds spent on training and support and then wasted.

    Banks and other financial institutions should carry a health warning to protect the innocent who are taken in by their promises and claims of "looking after"their customers.

    Cease all perks to elected and non elected Government posts.

    Shelve HS2 imediately.

    That Should save a few bob!”

  • Profile image for Hearald

    by Hearald

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 10:47AM

    “complete waste of money from start to finish...”

  • Profile image for marc1964

    by marc1964

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 10:21AM

    “will more ships need to go alongside to crew up the new carrier when it comes down , so get used to it and with more sailors leaving early who will man these ships”

  • Profile image for dufferuk

    by dufferuk

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 7:44AM

    “Mr Drax needs to do a bit more homework, as Albion is nowhere near Portsmouth.”

  • Profile image for MuppetAlert

    by MuppetAlert

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 7:38AM

    “Solution: slash the welfare budget and save the military.”

  • Profile image for Vinnie_Gar

    by Vinnie_Gar

    Saturday, March 02 2013, 6:55AM

    “may I suggest that some of the money be used to put this wonderful ship to sea"

    And where will the crew come from? This guy needs to do his homework - there's no-one left.”

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