The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond)
The UK Government have today published the sixth paper in its Scotland analysis programme, “Scotland analysis: Defence”. This series of publications is designed to inform the debate on Scotland’s future within the United Kingdom ahead of next year’s referendum.
The “Scotland analysis: Defence” paper analyses the UK’s approach to defence and the potential consequences of Scottish independence. From a defence perspective, the arguments for Scotland remaining in the UK are extremely strong. As part of the UK, Scotland benefits from a very high level of security and protection provided through the UK’s integrated defence capabilities and network of international defence alliances and relationships, as well as from the opportunities for industry available through the UK’s single, domestic defence market. An independent Scottish state could not come close to replicating these benefits.
Scotland benefits from the full range of UK defence capabilities and activities. These defend UK airspace, patrol the surrounding seas and help to protect everyone in the UK against both natural and man-made threats. Scotland also benefits from the UK’s extensive defence engagement overseas to project influence and help to safeguard and establish peace and security in countries affected by conflict or instability, maintain competitive advantage and tackle security threats before they reach the UK.
In the event of a vote for independence, an independent Scottish state would lose the benefits of one of the largest defence budgets in the world and of an integrated approach to defence that currently protects all parts of the UK, while offering significant economies of scale, as well as contributing to conflict prevention and resolution, and to humanitarian operations overseas. The start-up costs and complexity of establishing separate defence capabilities for an independent Scottish state would be very significant, and would need to be factored into the Scottish Government’s budget estimates.
The UK’s defence is rooted in a strong network of international alliances and relationships, underpinned by the reputation and effectiveness of the UK armed forces, which means the UK is able to exercise significant global influence to advance its security and prosperity objectives.
In a globalised world, an independent Scottish state would have to start from scratch, as a new and much smaller state, in forming alliances, building relationships and forging its reputation. It would cease to enjoy the influence that derives from the UK’s established status as a key player within the international system, and the opportunities this offers to advance the UK’s security and prosperity objectives.
The substantial defence industrial footprint in Scotland benefits from UK defence contracts, in particular the shipbuilding industry. The scale of UK defence helps to sustain defence industry in the UK and its success in the exports market. The sustainability of the defence industry in an independent Scottish state could be a cause for considerable concern, as it would no longer be eligible for contracts that the continuing UK chose to place or compete domestically for national security reasons, and would lose the support to exports provided by the UK’s extensive international defence engagement and the reputational benefits of affiliation with the UK’s armed forces in the highly competitive global market.
Future papers from the Scotland analysis programme will be published over the course of 2013 and 2014 to ensure that people in Scotland have access to the facts and information ahead of the referendum.