The MoD has around 10,000 sailors, soldiers and air personnel living permanently in Scotland, supported by 8,000 reservists and civilians.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
“Scotland’s military personnel and industrial base play a crucial role in keeping all of the people of the United Kingdom safe. By 2020 Scotland will be home to the entire Submarine Service, an Army Infantry Brigade, the RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert interceptors and submarine hunting Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Scotland is also the ideal base for crucial Defence operations and UK and Allied training requirements.”
According to a Ministry of Defence release:
“Gavin Williamson MP heard how Scots personnel and units support UK and allied operations in Iraq, South Sudan, Cyprus and the Gulf, contribute to the UK counter terrorism effort, and stand by to assist the Scottish Government and local authorities during civil emergencies, such as flooding.
Williamson met with Scotland’s three most senior military officers – the Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland Rear Admiral John Weale; General Officer Scotland, Major General Bob Bruce; Air Officer Scotland, Air Vice-Marshal Ross Paterson – during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh.
Scottish industry benefits from Defence spending £1.5bn with it each year, supporting 9,750 private sector jobs in Scotland.
The Defence Board confirmed in February 2017, that £1.7 billion would be invested to upgrade Scottish military bases over the next decade.“
Some of these points are valid but I’d appreciate the stopping of pandering to the Scots. Very few seem to acknowledge the one-sided nature of the relationship between England and Scotland and how much of a leech Scotland are on our tax revenue
This is one of the reasons that while in the next Independence Referendum, the politicians will undoubtedly be rattling their spears at each other, behind the scenes work should be done on the neccessary transitional arrangements for perhaps the 10 years after a YES vote, to relocate Faslane and Coulport in a relatively economical and non-disruptive fashion, to preserve the closely located MPA to safeguard the areas around the approaches to Faslane and around the coast, and to provide the QRA from the northern location it’s best in for obvious reasons, as least until the SDF is capable of taking… Read more »
There’s nothing wrong in pandering to the Scots, Levi! LOL
This is surely a wind-up! “One-sided nature of the relationship between England and Scotland and how much of a leech Scotland are on our tax revenue”
My pal DadsArmy will wade in shortly, but as a Scot who supports the union: Scotland has made a great contribution to UK, and continues to do so. As for tax receipts, lets not mention oil-revenues over the last 40 years!
You’re probably right Alan, it is a wind-up! Hopefully anyway …
Gavin Williamson is quite impressive so far and I like what he says. But he needs to keep a tight rein on pronouncements from the MOD which seek to claim that Scotland gains huge economic benefit from the defence forces based in Scotland. At £1.5bn each year, compared to Scotland’s £3.5bn contribution each year, the counter-argument is all too easy, and I give this advice in spite of being an Independence supporter.