SNP WINS MOD COMMITMENT ON DEFENCE STATISTICS

SNP WINS MOD COMMITMENT ON DEFENCE STATISTICS

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has secured a commitment from the
Ministry of Defence (MOD) to continue producing statistics on
employment and defence spending across the nations and regions of the
UK.

In recent years MOD statistics have confirmed there have been more
than 10,000 defence jobs lost and a massive £5.6 billion defence
underspend in Scotland.

After a series of parliamentary answers showing the defence underspend
in Scotland growing and job losses continuing, the MOD had threatened
to stop providing the statistics.

Westminster SNP Leader and Defence spokesman Angus Robertson said:

“As the Ministry of Defence starts its Strategic Defence and Security
Review it is crucial to be able to track the impact of UK government
policy across the nations and regions of the UK.

“We know from the MOD’s own statistics that Scotland has fared badly
in recent years with more than 10,000 defence job losses and a massive
£5.6 billion underspend.

“With the commitment from Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey to
continue producing these statistics we will be able to track the
impact of government decisions in Scotland and elsewhere.

“The UK government must make a fair and balanced defence footprint
across the UK a priority.”