Construction of warships for the Royal Navy is likely to be moved away from the Clyde to Portsmouth if Scotland votes for independence next year, a defence minister has told MPs.

Andrew Murrison rejected suggestions that the only yards capable of carrying out the work are in Glasgow, telling the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee that it would be possible to revive shipbuilding in the Hampshire port after a Yes vote north of the border, and added that there were other locations - such as Barrow - which might be able to do the job with sufficient investment.

Dr Murrison also warned that it would be "incredibly difficult" for an independent Scotland to maintain a full range of military capabilities within its anticipated £2.5 billion defence budget.

He challenged the Scottish National Party government to provide a detailed break-down in its November 26 independence white paper of what armed forces it intends to provide and how it would pay for them.

"In my view, the SNP is going to struggle big-time to convince the people of Scotland that their defence and security is going to be enhanced by an independent Scotland," he said.

Workers on Clydeside celebrated last week when their shipyards were chosen over Portsmouth for the Royal Navy's future shipbuilding needs.

But Defence Secretary Philip Hammond gave a clear indication that the decision could be reversed if Scotland breaks off from the UK, pointing out that Britain has never - outside of the world wars - bought advanced warships from abroad.

Plans to construct a new generation of Type 26 frigates are set to guarantee work in the Govan and Scotstoun yards until 2034, but the contract is not due to be finalised with BAE Systems until after the referendum date, placing a question mark over whether they will be built in Glasgow if Scots vote for independence.

Dr Murrison told the committee: "The Government's position is that we are not planning for a Yes vote... There is no intention of reversing any announcements. The UK Government is planning for the continuation of the UK and the Clyde is the right place to build complex platforms of this sort."

But asked by committee chairman Ian Davidson whether the UK Government's policy will remain that it wants "to retain sovereign capability for building warships in the event of separation", Dr Murrison replied: "The straight answer to that of course is Yes. There's no evasion at all."

He added: "The important thing as far as we are concerned is that we retain sovereign capability - the ability to build complex platforms in the UK. That wouldn't change in the event there was a Yes vote next year."

Asked if the "residual UK" - England, Wales and Northern Ireland - would be capable of building warships if it could no longer call upon Scotland, Dr Murrison said: "Of course we could build complex platforms in the residual UK. Portsmouth is certainly possible. You would have to invest, I suspect, significantly in complex platform building in Portsmouth.

"I'm certainly not going to make any suggestions, but warship building is certainly under way in Portsmouth and you could suppose that in the event of a Yes vote next year, the residual UK might wish to continue building warships in Portsmouth."

There have been suggestions that EU competition law would require the UK to open military contracts up to competitive tendering across the 28-nation bloc if it chose to place work with companies in an independent Scotland.

But Dr Murrison said he understood that the relevant provision - known as Article 346 - would permit the residual UK to specify that its warships must be built on Clydeside for national security reasons, though he stressed that this was a hypothetical scenario, rather than a Ministry of Defence plan.

Dr Murrison told the committee that it was "risible" for the SNP to suggest that it could create an independent Scottish defence force by "salami-slicing" units from the British armed forces which are based in Scotland or have Scottish links.

It was for the Scottish Government to demonstrate in its white paper that it would be able to deploy the kind of forces and assets necessary to deal with a Russian warship entering its waters or to provide logistical support to Scottish infantry regiments, to provide cybersecurity or to handle and respond to information coming from maritime patrol aircraft, he said.

"We have to remember this is independence which is being talked about not some sort of halfway house whatever the SNP might want to pretend," said Dr Murrison. "They need to be clear about this and what they are going to do."

He added: "They are talking about having submarines, complex warships, fast jets, and restoring the Scottish regiments. It is impossible to have that with a budget of £2.5 billion."

Dr Murrison said that an independent Scotland would have to reapply for membership of Nato and might find itself stuck in the queue alongside applicants like Georgia because of the SNP Government's implacable opposition to nuclear weapons.

"It's difficult to see how that's compatible with what I think the Scottish Government is assuming is automatic and easy membership of Nato," said Dr Murrison. "I think it is likely Nato would say there is a waiting list and your application will be considered with others."