Renewing Trident will cost Scotland jobs
A new report commissioned by the STUC and Scottish CND shows that Scotland would be the net loser, in terms of jobs, if Trident is renewed.
The report reveals that the Faslane base carries out a wide range of functions as well as supporting Trident. Using Government figures it calculates that 1536 jobs are sustained by Trident in Scotland.
Scotland’s share of the annual in-service cost of Trident is estimated to be £153 million. The report proposes that some of this money should be used to generate jobs in the public sector and the social economy. There should also be a major financial commitment to arms conversion, enabling the workforce to move from military to civil projects. One area where the skills of the Trident workforce could be redeployed is on projects to tackle climate change.
In addition Scotland’s share of the cost of renewing Trident is estimated to be £85 million per year for 15 years. The Government has said that this money will not come from the current Defence Budget. This additional expenditure could put at risk 3,000 public sector jobs in Scotland.
STUC General Secretary, Grahame Smith said
“I have been concerned about the exaggerated claims that Faslane would close - leading to thousands of job losses - if Trident were to be cancelled and not replaced.
"I am pleased this report firmly establishes that Faslane, with the appropriate political will, would have a future as a conventional base serving the UK Navy."
The Chair of Scottish CND, Alan Mackinnon said
“Cancelling Trident will create more jobs and will help Scotland to play its part in tackling climate change.”
STOP PRESS
Following the vote in the House of Commons (14 March) to replace Trident Grahame Smith said "Our campaign for alternatives to the replacement of Trident does not end with the Common's vote."