Instructors’ training base fears allayed
Civilian staff concerns over naval base Covid measures brushed aside
CORONAVIRUS fears raised by staff at a naval base have been brushed aside by a defence minister, who insisted there were ‘appropriate’ measures in place to protect personnel.
As revealed by The News, worried workers last week vented their concerns about returning to work at Gosport’s HMS Sultan to resume training sailors.
Civilian instructors feared in-person lessons were to go ahead in the midst of the third national lockdown, without any additional quarantine or testing measures in place.
Lessons at the shore base, which is the navy’s primary engineering training hub, resumed last Monday.
Now armed forces minister James Heappey has defended the military’s action to continue training session at the Sultan.
In a written parliamentary response, the Tory minister insisted ‘current’ public health advice was being followed at ‘all establishments’.
'The Royal Navy takes the threat of Covid-19 very seriously and all training is fully risk-assessed and kept under continual review,’ he said.
‘At HMS Sultan in Gosport, appropriate procedures and management oversight are in place to ensure that all guidelines are being strictly followed to decrease the risk of infection to trainees and staff, their families and the local community.
‘This includes measures to reduce overall footfall on the establishment to mitigate the anticipated post-Christmas and New Year virus peak.’
Schools, colleges, and universities across the country cancelled in-person teaching due to the third national lockdown.
During the first lockdown last spring, the majority of lessons at HMS Sultan were either paused or conducted online.
But civilian instructors last week told The News they were ‘miffed’ by the decision.
One civilian instructor, who asked not to be named, said: ‘If Portsmouth’s university and schools are closed, how can the powers that be think it’s safe to train here?
‘The general consensus is what the hell are they doing here?
‘There’s a risk of burdening Queen Alexandra Hospital with even more cases.’
Shadow armed forces minister, Stephen Morgan said he would ‘hold the government to account’ over its commitment to ensure public health guidance was followed at all military bases.
The Portsmouth South MP added: ‘The welfare of our armed services should not be compromised where it is reasonably avoidable to do so and they should be supported as they help to tackle the challenges of this pandemic.’
The first cohort of 500 civilians have this week started their 10-week basic training at HMS Collingwood in Fareham.
Last week, the base came under scrutiny after more than a dozen sailors breached lockdown rules in order to stage a ‘graduation’ party at the base.