• Biggest uplift in defence spending since the Cold War delivering 8,200 jobs and £1.6bn investment in the East of England.
• 13 potential new sites identified for munitions and energetics factories, including Essex, with the first expected to begin construction next year.
• Plan brings back defence production not seen in Britain for two decades.

THE government has announced Essex could be home to one of the landmark new munitions and energetics factories, the first to be built in Britain for two decades.

The Defence Secretary confirmed that he expects industry to break ground on the first factory next year – with 13 potential sites identified nationwide, creating at least 1,000 new jobs. These new factories are backed by £1.5 billion of new defence investment this Parliament for munitions and high-volume energetic material.

This comes on the back of the biggest defence uplift since the Cold War, delivering and supporting 8,200 defence jobs in the East of England and £1.6 billion in regional defence expenditure. In just 15 months of government, over 1,000 major defence contracts have been signed, 86% with British-based businesses.

The highly-skilled jobs created in these factories of the future will include engineers, electricians, machinists, construction workers, and fitters. Defence already supports over 460,000 jobs in the UK, including over 24,000 Ministry of Defence apprenticeships and £31.7 billion spent with UK-based businesses. 70% of defence jobs are outside London and the South East, and Labour is committed to ensuring the defence dividend is felt in every part of the UK.

Defence Sector in Essex

• Defence investment in the East of England increased by £95m on the previous year, equivalent to a rise of 6% in real terms.
• Essex is home to Harlow’s Technology Centre of Excellence, delivering cutting-edge defence and electronics innovation.
• Essex is home to defence companies such as Leonardos in Basildon and Concurrent in Colchester
• Essex’s strong industrial base positions it as a key player in the Government’s plan to build the factories of the future.

Adam Fox, Labour’s candidate to be the first Mayor of Essex, said:

“Essex has a proud manufacturing heritage with defence companies currently working across the county. Bringing jobs and investment to Essex is a major priority for me – and that’s exactly what Labour’s defence investment will deliver. This is a sign of confidence in the Essex economy and provides a blueprint for further investment in the future.”

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

“For too long our proud industrial heartlands saw jobs go away and not come back. This Labour government rejects that failed approach of the past. We are unambiguously backing British jobs and British skills. It’s the only path that delivers national and economic security.”