HUNDREDS of new jobs are in the pipeline for the west of Scotland, the Ministry of Defence has insisted, as it announced two nuclear-powered submarines were to be moved to the Clyde.
The announcement is part of the UK Government's plan to make Faslane the home of all of the country's submarines.
But last night, the SNP insisted the "dumping" of two submarines near the end of their lifespan on the Clyde would not disguise the lack of serious defence investment by successive UK Governments in Scotland.
HMS Talent and HMS Triumph, two of the Royal Navy's Trafalgar Class submarines, will be moved to the Scottish naval base and home to Britain's nuclear deterrent from their current site in Plymouth by 2020, Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary confirmed.
The other two vessels in the class, HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant, are to remain at Devonport in south west England until they are decommissioned in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
The MoD said the planned move of the two Trafalgar Class subs was another step towards the Clyde becoming the Royal Navy's Submarine Centre of Specialisation.
"HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant crews and their families now have certainty that Devonport will be their home port until the boats decommission.
"We expect that local communities will welcome HMS Talent and HMS Triumph and their crews and families when they arrive in Scotland later this decade.
"Our commitment to Faslane becoming home to all Royal Navy submarines from 2020 will bring hundreds of jobs and investment to the west of Scotland," he added.
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