West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin this week backed efforts by local defence company QinetiQ to broaden its Malvern operations to compete in new international markets. In a tour of QinetiQ’s Malvern site yesterday (Wednesday April 20) Harriett was shown a number of recently-developed products which are being sold to customers as far afield as the Middle East, America and Australia. And the company gave the MP a presentation highlighting plans to develop the site and create housing, office space and a technology park on the current site, where there is currently an array of Nissen huts and some post-war offices. Harriett toured the company’s cyber-security facility, which provides round the clock support for a growing number of Government and private companies all around the world. She also heard presentations on some of the new defence technologies and other innovative products, such as a net that stops car bombers in their tracks. Last summer, the Government’s Strategic Defence Spending Review identified £650 million of new spending to help combat internet fraud and cyber terrorism. QinetiQ, which employs more than 900 people at their Malvern site, has used its expertise in combating cyber terrorism to find commercial applications for its technology. Company management reiterated the message the MP heard last year with local county and district council chiefs of a long-term commitment to its Malvern site. Harriett said: “I was very impressed by the important work being carried out in Malvern and pleased to see that QinetiQ has a long-term plan to stay in the area. “Malvern is a great place to live and work and following a period of rationalisation and adjustment, the company is building a good future for its staff. “I made the case for QinetiQ to locate more of its operation in Malvern and take advantage of great people, great schools and well-located housing. “There has been a lot of negative news from QinetiQ in the last year and I am pleased that the local management team met me to set out their vision for the future of the Malvern site.” Photo: Adam Palser managing director of information technology services and Harriett Baldwin, MP