Nuclear-powered Submarines Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Nuclear-powered Submarines

Bernard Jenkin Excerpts
Monday 18th June 2012

(12 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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Our strategic missile submarines serve two functions. They provide a national strategic deterrence and they are committed to NATO as part of the NATO strategic deterrence. Part of NATO’s strategic posture involves having more than one nuclear-capable platform.

Bernard Jenkin Portrait Mr Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)
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Will my right hon. Friend explain, particularly to the Scottish nationalists, how many jobs would be lost in Scotland if the investment were to be cancelled or if Scotland were to vote for separation from the rest of the United Kingdom? In that case, all the UK defence jobs in Scotland would be withdrawn.

Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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Ultimately at stake are the 6,000 jobs —civilians, military and contractors directly employed in Her Majesty’s naval dockyard of the Clyde and at Coulport. Those jobs would be lost if the submarines were not built and deployed at Faslane.