A £2.6 billion contract has secured 1,500 jobs at the Clyde naval base which is home to the UK's nuclear deterrent, the Defence Secretary said.

Michael Fallon said the "huge" deal would give long term security to workers at the Faslane base, where the Trident nuclear submarines are stationed.

Babcock, which manages the base there and the Devonport base in Plymouth, has been awarded the £2.6 million repair and maintenance contract to support the navy fleet.

Mr Fallon said: "This is the second biggest defence contract placed by this Government and reflects our commitment to giving our armed forces what they need to keep Britain safe.

A statement from Babcock said the new contract reinforced its position "as the UK's leading naval support business".

The company went on to state the deal would "enable us to continue to do what we do best - that is to provide continuity, reliability and increased value to our customer across the range of activities and services we deliver".

The announcement comes less than two weeks after the Scottish independence referendum, which saw Scots vote by 55% to 45% to stay in the United Kingdom.

With the SNP campaigning to remove Trident submarines from Scotland in the event of a vote for independence, pro-UK campaigners had warned voting Yes would put thousands of jobs at the Faslane base and in the surrounding area under threat.

But Mr Fallon said the referendum last month had showed it was only a "minority" who backed the weapons being removed.

"A majority voted to stay in the United Kingdom and all parts of the United Kingdom benefit from the nuclear deterrent," the Defence Secretary told the Good Morning Scotland programme.

"Those submarines keep us all safe - Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland."

He stressed that in "an increasingly dangerous world" it would be "folly" for the UK to unilaterally disarm.

"Today's announcement shows the long-term commitment of the Government in London to securing the jobs there," he said.

"Scotland is a big part of the United Kingdom's defence and it will certainly stay that way."

Mr Fallon said: "There's no new jobs but I think it's very important to reassure those who are working on the Clyde, now that the referendum is over, that they will have that job security.

"This is one of the longest contracts we're placing and it's a huge contract, so it's confirmation that the Clyde will be one of our most important naval bases for years to come."

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael also welcomed the deal, stating: "This is a huge investment in Scotland's largest single site employer. It will support hundreds of skilled workers, their families as well as providing a substantial boost to the local economy along the Clyde.

"In the years ahead on the back of the security provided by this contact, I have absolutely no doubts that the workforce at Faslane will continue to excel in providing skills, expertise and support for the Royal Navy's activities across the globe."

He added: "This is the second largest defence contract placed by this government and underlines the UK Government's long term commitment to the defence industry in Scotland and to our dedicated and talented workforce."

Angus Robertson MP, the SNP Westminster leader and defence spokesman hit out and said: "It hasn't taken long for the Tories to pledge to spend billions more to keep their weapons of mass destruction in Scotland following the referendum.

"It is one thing the unionist parties can agree on - that nuclear missiles should be dumped on the Clyde at absolutely enormous expense - and they are getting on just fine with that vow, even as more savage cuts are planned at Westminster.

"The SNP wants a secure long term future for Faslane - investing in it as a conventional naval base. Instead of hosting these obscene nuclear weapons designed for the Cold War - Faslane should be a 21st century facility for its naval defence needs now and in the future - not a nuclear dumping ground."

Jim Moohan, the senior Scotland Senior organiser for the GMB union and chair of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), said "The award of this contract pays a massive compliment to the skills and expertise of the workforce on the Clyde.

"It also underlines the importance of the partnership between Babcock and BAE Systems which GMB considers provides the basis to sustain long term job security and helps the transfer of skills into the next generation while adjusting to the on-going work programme. With the carrier programme and the Type 26 orders this order seals the commitment to UK defence jobs."