Westminster Report

BY David Burton-Sampson MP for Southend West & Leigh.
This year I have had some extraordinary experiences with the courageous men and women who work in the Armed Forces.
As part of the Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme I have had several amazing visits to bases in this country and abroad.
I have controlled a robot bomb disposal unit in Portsmouth, sailed on the Solent aboard HMS Blazer, and visited our nuclear deterrent in Faslane.
I also overflew the coast at the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall, where I flew in a Merlin helicopter, experiencing first- hand the capability of these incredible machines.
I drove a bivouac too, on its caterpillar tracks, as part of the winter deployment of the Royal Marines in Norway’s Arctic Circle.
That was on a visit to Camp Viking in Norway which is an important strategic, military base. It is part of the growing focus on the High North and the European Arctic, specifically aimed at countering rising threats from Russia and protecting vital infrastructure.
It wasn’t exactly luxurious, sleeping in six bed dorms and eating in the Galley with the troops but it was important to live as our service men and women live when on assignment.
It was seriously cold, which influences effective training. Temperatures during the winter season are on average -10°c and we were taught how to avoid cold weather injuries.
It was an unforgettable trip. I drove a car on a frozen lake skid pan, to practice braking in this environment and witnessed cold water rescue techniques.
But more importantly, I was privileged to meet and talk with so many brave servicemen and women whose ensure this country is safe. I admire their work, their ability and their determination.
This was the most valuable experience of all. I heard their honest accounts of life in our Armed Services from the new recruits to the top brass.
I visited the Salisbury Plain Training Area recently, which gave me a great insight into the role it plays in the defence of our country. It takes you by surprise just how big it is; at 38,000 hectares, the training area is more than a tenth of Wiltshire, the county it’s in!
On my final visit on the scheme, we were taken to the military base in Cyprus. RAF Akrotiri is strategically important and it was hit by a drone strike in March.
The strike, believed to have been launched by pro-Iranian militia from Lebanon or western Iraq was the first strike against a British military installation at the bases on the island in 40 years.
The visit gave us a greater understanding of how this attack highlights the risks our troops currently face in an area that is facing many geopolitical challenges.
I received many briefings on a number of different areas of the Navy and the Marines during my time on the scheme, as well as from the other disciplines of the Army and Airforce.
We “graduated” last month with a celebratory dinner aboard Nelson’s HMS Victory, which is preserved in Portsmouth Dockyard, another real privilege to be part of.
The aim of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme is to give MPs an insight into military life so we can make more informed choices on defence in the future.
I know I that my understanding of the Armed Forces has increased tremendously through the year and my respect even more so.
I feel much more educated and able to take serious decisions if I ever have to vote to send our troops into battle in the future.
The bravery I have witnessed this year among our service personnel is incredible. I simply cannot emphasis enough how impressed I am with what I have seen.
I admire everything they do and as this exciting year of engagement draws to a close, I want them to know that I will always support them in every way I can. I salute them all and am glad to now be considered part of the Naval family.
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