The Royal Navy currently has five submarines and eight surface vessels based in Scotland. The details for each year since 1997 are shown in the following table.
Surface Submarine 1997 11 8 1998 11 9 1999 11 9 2000 13 9 2001 14 9 2002 15 9 2003 13 8 2004 13 8 2005 12 8 2006 9 6 2007 8 6 2008 8 5 2009 8 5 2010 8 5
The fluctuations in submarine numbers reflect the gradual drawdown of the Swiftsure class vessels, as they reach the end of their in-service life. Over the next few years, as HM Naval Base Clyde becomes the main operating base for all classes of submarines, there will be a gradual transfer of three Trafalgar class submarines from Devonport to Faslane. In the future, the Astute class and the replacement for the Vanguard class will also be based in Scotland.
The number of surface ships initially increased over this period, reflecting the move of the Sandown class mine counter-measure vessels to Scotland, then decreased reflecting the subsequent disbandment of the Northern Ireland Squadron following the NI Accord. The numbers are commensurate with the reduction in the surface fleet numbers as a whole throughout this period.
Additionally some 23 small boats allocated to the Royal Marines are currently maintained in Scotland. These are not allocated to a base port in the same way as larger vessels; details of the numbers maintained in Scotland since 1997 are not available.
I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement on 6 May 2009, Official Report, column 16WS, which provided clarity to future base-porting regarding the three naval bases under the Maritime Change Programme.