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Minister for Portsmouth to be Michael Fallon | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Michael Fallon has been named Minister for Portsmouth to help the city recover from the loss of shipbuilding. | |
The former Conservative Party deputy chairman will have responsibility to support jobs and growth in the city. | |
It follows a decision in November to move Navy shipbuilding to Scotland with the closure of the city's BAE Systems yard causing the loss of over 900 jobs. | |
Labour and trade unions had criticised the government for not doing enough to create new employment in the city. | Labour and trade unions had criticised the government for not doing enough to create new employment in the city. |
'Help us cope' | 'Help us cope' |
Mr Fallon is currently minister of business and innovation under Liberal Democrat business secretary Vince Cable. | |
He is also minister for energy at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. | He is also minister for energy at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. |
The Liberal Democrat leader of Portsmouth City Council, Gerald Vernon Jackson, said: "I am glad that it seems ministers are listening and we are going to have somebody like Michael to help us cope with the loss of shipbuilding. | The Liberal Democrat leader of Portsmouth City Council, Gerald Vernon Jackson, said: "I am glad that it seems ministers are listening and we are going to have somebody like Michael to help us cope with the loss of shipbuilding. |
"We have had just silence from the Ministry of Defence about this, so I am pleased that another department is willing to listen. | "We have had just silence from the Ministry of Defence about this, so I am pleased that another department is willing to listen. |
"The loss of shipbuilding is a real blow for Portsmouth - it is the loss of 1,000 skilled jobs - so it is about trying to replace those and to find additional work for them." | "The loss of shipbuilding is a real blow for Portsmouth - it is the loss of 1,000 skilled jobs - so it is about trying to replace those and to find additional work for them." |
Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock said: "We have got to make sure he realises the size and scope of the problems and can work with local authorities and unions to try to bring about a mechanism which will go some way to encourage other businesses - either shipbuilding or maritime-related - in the space vacated by BAE in the shipyard. | Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock said: "We have got to make sure he realises the size and scope of the problems and can work with local authorities and unions to try to bring about a mechanism which will go some way to encourage other businesses - either shipbuilding or maritime-related - in the space vacated by BAE in the shipyard. |
"We have to bear in mind that Michael Fallon has already got two other jobs. I just hope he has the time and energy to devote to the issues we are facing." | "We have to bear in mind that Michael Fallon has already got two other jobs. I just hope he has the time and energy to devote to the issues we are facing." |
The last time a similar appointment was made was in 1981, when Margaret Thatcher despatched Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine to Liverpool to lead a programme of urban regeneration following the Toxteth riots. | The last time a similar appointment was made was in 1981, when Margaret Thatcher despatched Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine to Liverpool to lead a programme of urban regeneration following the Toxteth riots. |
He was dubbed the "minister for Merseyside" and was subsequently given the Freedom of Liverpool in recognition of the work he did to revive the city's fortunes. | He was dubbed the "minister for Merseyside" and was subsequently given the Freedom of Liverpool in recognition of the work he did to revive the city's fortunes. |