Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and defence procurement minister Maria Eagle are to visit HMNB Clyde at Faslane on Wednesday to launch a £250 million investment in the nuclear submarine base. The funding, announced in last month’s spending review, will be spent over the next three years to improve infrastructure at the site.
The upgrade is designed to ensure the base can accommodate the next generation of nuclear submarines, supporting the UK’s continuous at-sea deterrent. The ministers will meet with senior military officials, council leaders from Inverclyde and Argyll and Bute, and local MPs during their visit.
Mr Murray described the spending as a “defence dividend”, highlighting the economic impact of investing in Scotland’s defence sector. “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.
Ms Eagle said Scotland plays a “crucial role” in the 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 funding is part of the broader Clyde 2070 programme, which will see billions pumped into the industry over the coming decades, supporting jobs, skills and economic growth across the west of Scotland.
