£250m Scottish defence investment welcomed
A NEW £250 million investment in Scottish defences has been welcomed by the leader of Inverclyde Council.
Councillor Stephen McCabe and council chief executive Stuart Jamieson were at His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde at Faslane on Wednesday 17 July 2025 as the UK Government announced the funding – part of the multi-year, multi-billion pound Clyde 2070 programme.
They met with senior figures from the government and Scotland Office, Ministry of Defence, Royal Navy, MPs including Inverclyde MP Martin McCluskey, and fellow west coast local authority leaders to discuss how the huge investment in Scotland’s largest military establishment could benefit neighbouring areas like Inverclyde.
Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “It was the start of a conversation between the local authorities on the Clyde with the UK Government, MoD and the Royal Navy on the potential opportunities for our local communities from the government's increased investment on defence and in particular at Faslane/Coulport.
“We welcome the opportunity to engage with the government and look forward to further engagement and discussions over the coming months on how Inverclyde can benefit directly from this investment.
“We’re working with the Scotland Office to that end to ensure the Clyde is ready to support defence spending.”
Ministers, navy chiefs and base staff met with council leaders and MPs from areas surrounding the Clyde to discuss how Clyde 2070’s defence dividend can be maximised by local communities for years to come.
They discussed opportunities for effective coordination between government, local authorities and the defence sector, focusing on infrastructure development, skills training, regional economic opportunities and local job creation.
Approximately 26,100 skilled jobs - including shipbuilding - across Scotland are already supported by the Ministry of Defence’s annual multi-billion pound spend.
More information about the announcement and the Clyde 2070 programme is available on the UK Government website via the link in the Other Websites section of this page.