To ask the Secretary of State for Defence

(1) what financial contribution would be requested from the Welsh Government in relocation costs if Trident were moved to the Cleddau in the event of Scottish independence;

(2) what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) timescale on relocating Trident to the Cleddau in the event of Scottish independence;

(3) what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the protocols required between the UK and Welsh Governments pertaining to environmental protection in the Cleddau estuary should Trident be moved from its current base in Scotland;

(4) what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on relocating Trident to the Cleddau in the event of Scottish independence.

The UK Government's position is clear: Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it. The UK is not making plans for Scottish independence and is not making plans to move the nuclear deterrent or other submarines from Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde. HM Naval Base Clyde is the largest employment site in Scotland, with around 6,700 military and civilian jobs now, increasing to around 8,200 by 2022 when it becomes home to all of the Royal Navy's submarines. We have not received any official representations from the Welsh Government nor had discussions with them regarding the basing in Wales of the nuclear deterrent.