Carwyn Jones: Wales would welcome nuclear submarines

Britain's nuclear-armed submarines would be "more than welcome" in Wales if they left Scotland, First Minister Carwyn Jones has said.

The SNP government in Edinburgh wants the fleet removed from its base on the west coast of Scotland.

At question time in the Senedd, Mr Jones suggested the nuclear deterrent could come to Pembrokeshire if forced to look for a home elsewhere.

The UK government this week awarded a £1.1bn contract for reactor cores.

Britain has four Royal Navy Vanguard submarines, based at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde, which can deploy Trident ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

There will be more than a welcome for that fleet and those jobs in Milford Haven”

Mr Jones, who will be in Scotland for a meeting of British and Irish ministers on Friday, was asked about the potential to invest in Welsh ports.

He said: "I did notice the Scottish government no longer wishes to have the nuclear submarine base at Faslane, it no longer wishes to house the UK naval nuclear fleet.

"There will be more than a welcome for that fleet and those jobs in Milford Haven."

Milford Haven is a natural deep water port that handles around a fifth of the UK's energy through oil and gas imports.

There was an angry response to the first minister's comments from Plaid Cymru politicians and activists.

Writing on Twitter, Plaid AM Jonathan Edwards said: "This is a hugely significant development.

"Milford is a huge energy portal. LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and nukes don't go together."

The UK government insists a final decision on replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent will not be taken until 2016 - after the next general election.

The Ministry of Defence says the £1.1bn investment secures 300 jobs at Rolls-Royce and will also fund an 11-year refurbishment of its plant at Raynesway in Derby.