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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| New Army academy threat to jobs | New Army academy threat to jobs |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of jobs and businesses are under threat in Dorset, Hampshire and Shropshire after a government decision to move military training to Wales. | Hundreds of jobs and businesses are under threat in Dorset, Hampshire and Shropshire after a government decision to move military training to Wales. |
| The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said 330 jobs will go at an engineering training unit in Bordon, near Winchester. | The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said 330 jobs will go at an engineering training unit in Bordon, near Winchester. |
| About 1,700 civilian jobs are under threat at Blandford Camp and HMS Sultan in Gosport is also affected. | About 1,700 civilian jobs are under threat at Blandford Camp and HMS Sultan in Gosport is also affected. |
| RAF St Athan was chosen ahead of RAF Cosford, Shropshire, to house the new centralised defence training academy. | RAF St Athan was chosen ahead of RAF Cosford, Shropshire, to house the new centralised defence training academy. |
| The new armed forces tri-service centre is worth £16bn over 25 years and is expected to create about 5,000 jobs. | |
| I think it's fundamentally the wrong decision and the impact on the local [Blandford] economy I think could be quite dramatic Bob Walter, Conservative MP for North Dorset | I think it's fundamentally the wrong decision and the impact on the local [Blandford] economy I think could be quite dramatic Bob Walter, Conservative MP for North Dorset |
| The decision was announced by Defence Secretary Des Browne in the House of Commons at lunchtime and follows a review of defence training needs. | The decision was announced by Defence Secretary Des Browne in the House of Commons at lunchtime and follows a review of defence training needs. |
| He said neither Blandford Camp - the national communications and IT training centre - nor HMS Sultan - the Royal Naval School of Marine and Air Engineering - will close completely. | He said neither Blandford Camp - the national communications and IT training centre - nor HMS Sultan - the Royal Naval School of Marine and Air Engineering - will close completely. |
| But he said: "Some redundancies following transfer cannot be ruled out." | But he said: "Some redundancies following transfer cannot be ruled out." |
| Mr Browne said training at Cosford and Blandford would continue until 2011 and added: "The department is exploring a number of proposals for the future defence use of both" and that a military presence is expected to remain. | Mr Browne said training at Cosford and Blandford would continue until 2011 and added: "The department is exploring a number of proposals for the future defence use of both" and that a military presence is expected to remain. |
| An artist's impression of how the academy at RAF St Athan would look | An artist's impression of how the academy at RAF St Athan would look |
| He said marine engineering training at HMS Sultan would continue until 2017 when it would relocate to St Athan. | He said marine engineering training at HMS Sultan would continue until 2017 when it would relocate to St Athan. |
| Bob Walter, Conservative MP for North Dorset, said he was very disappointed. | Bob Walter, Conservative MP for North Dorset, said he was very disappointed. |
| "The Ministry of Defence has spent £100m on new facilities at Blandford in the last five years," he said. | "The Ministry of Defence has spent £100m on new facilities at Blandford in the last five years," he said. |
| "I think it's fundamentally the wrong decision and the impact on the local economy I think could be quite dramatic." | "I think it's fundamentally the wrong decision and the impact on the local economy I think could be quite dramatic." |
| He said about 3,000 people, including more than 700 civilians, were based at the camp and there were another 1,000 jobs that are dependant on the base. | He said about 3,000 people, including more than 700 civilians, were based at the camp and there were another 1,000 jobs that are dependant on the base. |
| Bruce Voss, head of operations at the South West Regional Development Agency for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole, said the loss of jobs "will have a devastating impact on the rural economy". | Bruce Voss, head of operations at the South West Regional Development Agency for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole, said the loss of jobs "will have a devastating impact on the rural economy". |
| He added: "The skills that will be lost as a result of relocation are vital to the south west and will take a great deal of time to re-establish." | He added: "The skills that will be lost as a result of relocation are vital to the south west and will take a great deal of time to re-establish." |