Scottish Secretary and defence minister to launch £250m Faslane investment

The Scottish Secretary and UK defence procurement minister are to launch a £250m investment at the base housing Scotland’s nuclear weapons.

The funding for HMNB Clyde at Faslane was announced in the spending review last month and will be spent over the next three years to improve infrastructure at the site.

The upgrade will ensure the base can house the next generation of nuclear submarines.

UK Government ministers Ian Murray and Maria Eagle will visit the site on Wednesday, meeting with senior military officials, the leaders of Inverclyde and Argyll and Bute councils, and local MPs.

Scottish Secretary Mr Murray described the spending as a “defence dividend” as he continued to talk up the economic impact of investing in the sector in Scotland, including through the Clyde 2070 programme, which will see billions pumped into the industry in the coming decades.

“With Faslane home to the nation’s first and final line of defence – the UK’s nuclear deterrent, it’s only right that Clyde 2070 represents one of the most significant UK Government investments over the coming decades,” he said.

“It will ensure the Royal Navy can deliver the continuous at sea deterrent from a modern, efficient base which will result in a better environment for our hero submariners to live, work and train in.

“Crucially it will also create skilled jobs – including for small and medium-size firms – boost the economy and help tackle the critical skills gaps facing the country in sectors such as nuclear, construction, maritime and project management, by bringing together government, Scottish communities, industry, supply chains and academia to address the challenges.”

Defence procurement minister Ms Eagle said Scotland plays a “crucial role” in the country’s Trident nuclear deterrent, which forms the “bedrock of the UK’s defence”.

She added: “We are today re-affirming that unshakeable commitment by launching this multibillion-pound investment to His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, which is vital to our deterrence capability.

“The initial £250 million of funding over three years will support jobs, skills and growth across the west of Scotland.

“This Government will keep the UK safe for generations to come while delivering on the Plan for Change and making defence an engine for growth.”