The UK Government is launching a defence of the British military in a report criticising SNP plans for an independent Scottish force.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond will promote the current set-up, with Scotland inside the UK, in a speech in Edinburgh.
The visit coincides with the publication of an analysis paper, prepared by UK civil servants, that aims to highlight the benefits to Scotland of the £34billion UK defence budget.
The Scottish Government proposes a £2.5billion defence force, assuming a Yes vote next September. Further details of the plan are expected to be contained in the SNP administration’s formal “white paper” on independence in the coming weeks.
Mr Hammond, a Conservative MP, will be joined by UK Government Scottish Secretary Michael Moore at the report’s launch.
Extracts suggest it will focus on funding, jobs and the problems of splitting up an integrated military.
A claim that an independent Scotland would not be able to “co-opt” historic Scottish regiments has already been dismissed as “ludicrous” by SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson MP, who called on Mr Hammond to apologise for defence “closures, cuts and broken promises”.
By 2020, UK ministers say there will be a joint force of 190,000 regular and reserves supported by 53,500 Ministry of Defence (MoD) personnel.
“Adapting the functions of Scotland’s defence footprint would result in a substantial burden on the public finances of an independent Scottish state during establishment, and duplication of costs thereafter for the essential services currently provided on a UK-wide basis,” an extract of the report states.
The UK Government has already suggested that “bonds of loyalty” may stop Scottish personnel from wanting to enlist in an independent defence force.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We welcome this important acknowledgement from the UK Government that an independent Scotland stands to inherit a fair share of current UK defence assets.
“An independent Scotland will have first-class conventional forces which will play a full role in defending the country and co-operating with international partners – but we will not waste billions of pounds on Trident nuclear weapons.”
Veterans Minister Keith Brown said: “With independence we can prioritise having the air and naval capability needed to monitor and secure our offshore territory and resources – our oil and gas resources, fisheries protection, and safeguarding our waters.”
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