THE UK Government has rebuffed calls to draw up contingency plans for Trident in the light of a possible second Scottish independence referendum.
Defence minister Philip Dunne also said that his government was “not anticipating” a re-run of the 2014 poll.
READ MORE: SNP accused of playing 'fast and loose' with thousands of Scottish jobs over Trident
He insisted that no preparations had been made before 2014’s vote, despite the chance that Scots would back Yes. The UK Government has previously warned that moving the Clyde-based nuclear deterrent would cost billions of pounds.
Predictions for how long a transfer of the nuclear deterrent might take range from years to decades while experts have suggested that Trident could have to be ‘parked’ in either the US or France for years while the UK build a naval base suitable to house it south of the Border.
Conservative ministers have recently faced intense criticism over the lack of advanced planning ahead of Brexit. They were accused of being asleep at the wheel after it emerged that only the Bank of England had carried out detailed preparations.
Next week MPs will vote on whether or not to renew the ageing nuclear weapons system, at a cost of billions of pounds.
But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already said that another independence vote is on the table following the shock Brexit decision.
Mr Dunne, the minister for defence procurement, brushed aside calls for contingency plans for Trident, saying: “We are not anticipating there will be another (Scottish) referendum.”
Asked if ministers had a responsibility to the Nato nuclear alliance, of which the UK is a member, to develop contingency plans, he said: “No.
“Because defence is a responsibility of the UK Government.
READ MORE: SNP accused of playing 'fast and loose' with thousands of Scottish jobs over Trident
“The UK Government includes Scotland for defence purposes.
“There is no plan at the moment for another (Scottish) referendum.”
He added: “We are not anticipating there will be another referendum.”
Asked if contingency plans had been drawn up in 2014, he said: “No.”
Former Scottish Secretary Lord Forsyth has warned that the job of moving Trident could even prove impossible.
He predicted that Scottish independence could force the UK give up its nuclear deterrent altogether.
Mr Dunne also said that ministers were “committed to Faslane and to investing hundreds of millions of pounds in Faslane to allow it to continue to operate safely our deterrent for the foreseeable future.”
The MoD estimates that 6,800 people work across the site.
That number will increase to to 8,200 by 2022, as all the UK’s submarines become stationed north of the Border.
Brendan O’Hara, the SNP’s defence spokesman at Westminster, said: “It is obscene that Theresa May thinks the priority at a time of Tory austerity and economic uncertainty following the EU referendum is to spend billions on outdated nuclear weapons that we do not want, do not need, and could never use.”
But Gary Cook, GMB Scotland organiser, said “There is no shortage of areas in the south that are crying out for work of this value.
“So without any support for the vital jobs, skills and the high value terms and conditions our members hold, Scotland is in real danger of wishing away the economic and employment benefits of renewal.
“Our economy is flirting dangerously with recession, we are struggling to achieve any sort of meaningful growth and we are haemorrhaging industrial jobs hand over fist through the decline of the offshore sector and neglect of our manufacturing base.
READ MORE: SNP accused of playing 'fast and loose' with thousands of Scottish jobs over Trident
“Scotland is in no position to play fast and loose with thousands of high-value jobs dependent on Trident renewal.”
The Conservatives, who have a slim Commons majority, are expected to win the trident vote.
Earlier this week a UK-wide poll for The Herald showed that just 45 per cent of British people were in favour of renewing the project, with just over a quarter, 27.5 per cent, opposed and almost the same number, 27.9 per cent, say that they don’t know.
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