Armour and grenade among items stolen from Faslane
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In an exclusive, the Lochside Press reports here that the thefts have been revealed following a Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Defence.
“The MoD said that during the 12 months ending on September 13, 2021, the following items were reported stolen from HM Naval Base Clyde, which includes the Coulport armaments depot as well as Faslane:
- A head-mounted night vision system ‘and other MoD equipment’, classed as having ‘only a nominal value’
- Body armour, a stab-proof vest, a hand-fired illuminating rocket and a smoke grenade, with a total value of £629.80
- A laptop computer, said to have only a nominal value
- And two common weapon sights, with a combined value of £4,087.26″
A Royal Navy spokesperson was quoted as saying: “Security is of paramount importance. We investigate every incident to ensure we learn from experience and continuously improve our security practices, procedures and culture.”
What is Faslane?
Faslane is one of the Royal Navy’s three main operating bases, alongside HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth. It is best known as the home of the UK’s four Vanguard-class nuclear-armed submarines, which carry Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles.
Faslane is also the second largest single-site employer in Scotland, after the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
Figures unearthed last year by Deidre Brock, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, reveal that just over 6,000 people are directly employed at Faslane and Coulport. The figures came to light after Member of Palriament Deidre Brock asked a series of questions relating to employed at HMNB Clyde.
Deidre Brock, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, asked via a Parliamentary written question: “To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of uniformed Royal Navy personnel based at (a) Faslane and (b) Coulport are Scottish taxpayers.”
James Heappey MP, then Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Defence, responded: “At 1 January 2021, 3,624 uniformed Royal Navy Service personnel were stationed at locations in Argyll and Bute, comprising the Faslane and Coulport sites. Of these, 1,393 personnel were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 38.4% of the total.”
Brock also asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of civilian employees who are not contractors based at (a) Faslane and (b) Coulport are Scottish taxpayers.”
Heappey responded: “At 31 December 2020, 1,015 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 925 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 91% of the total. At 31 December 2020, 475 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 425 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 89% of the total.”
Brock also asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of uniformed contractors based at (a) Faslane and (b) Coulport are Scottish taxpayers.”
Heappey then responded: “At 31 December 2020, 535 uniformed contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 470 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 88% of the total. At 31 December 2020, 419 uniformed contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 370 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 89% of the total.”
The figures show that of the 6,068 civilian and military personnel working at Faslane and Coulport, 4,583 are Scottish taxpayers.