Chancellor George Osborne was at HM Naval Base Clyde on Monday morning, and made the announcement that £500 million will be spent on ship lifts, sea walls, jetties, and other major projects to ensure Faslane continues to be a world leading base until at least 2067.

The work, which will take 10 years, is expected to start in 2017, supporting thousands of jobs.

This announcement follows the Chancellor’s pledge at the Summer Budget to maintain the NATO commitment to spending at least 2 per cent of GDP annually on defence.

From 2020, Faslane will be the Royal Navy’s ‘Submarine Centre of Specialisation’, meaning all of the UK’s underwater capability will be based in Scotland.

The Ministry of Defence also expect to base Successor class submarines at Faslane when they come into service from 2028.

Currently the base hosts around 6,700 military and civilian staff and contractors, but this is expected to increase to about 8,200 by 2022 based on submarine capacity alone.

This weeks announcement is set to contribute to thousands of jobs at the base.

The Chancellor said: “Today’s announcement of more than £500 million demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to investing in the infrastructure and capability to ensure that Faslane remains the centre of UK submarine operations for the next generation.

“I’m proud to say that this government continues to recognise that our brave Armed Forces across Britain have always been resolute in defence of liberty and the promotion of stability around the world.

“That’s why I recently committed to meet the NATO pledge to spend 2 per cent of our national income on defence every year of this decade.

“A strong and secure country is vital to both our prosperity and national security.

“There will be thousands more jobs right here in Faslane, as well as across the UK supply chain.

“Across Scotland, around 12,600 people work in defence and my defence spending commitments will secure these jobs and provide huge opportunities for defence, security and technology companies all over the UK.” Brendan O’Hara, MP for Argyll and Bute and spokesman on defence for the SNP said George Osborne ‘has his priorities all wrong’.

Mr O’Hara said: “He should be defending the disabled, not his government’s indefensible decision to spend £100bn on a new generation of nuclear weapons - and this so-called investment in Faslane will directly support the deployment of Trident submarines.

“Indeed, George Osborne is essentially pre-empting a vote and actual decision on renewal of Trident.

“There is something fundamentally wrong with Westminster’s values and priorities if the Chancellor thinks wasting billions on nuclear weapons is something to boast about when people are dying within our benefits system.” He also said investment in Faslane was ‘welcome’ - but said it must be as a conventional base.

John Ainslie, coordinator of Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament , said: “We should beware of George Osborne bearing gifts. If you look underneath the wrapping, you will see that his real present for Scotland is more nuclear submarines.

“He is cutting benefits for the most vulnerable in our society and making the poor pay for more Weapons of Mass Destruction”.