Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2022 to Question 154058 on Clyde Naval Base and RNAD Coulport: Navy, and with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2021 to Question 184494 on Navy: Scotland, for what reason providing the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

In preparation for the answer of 21 April 2022 to Question 154058 the Department understood that a manual trawl through personnel files would be required to answer the question, which resulted in a disproportionate cost response. A different methodology was used for the answer in April 2021 and using that same approach I am now able to provide the following information in answer to the hon. Member's Questions 154058, 154059 and 154060 of 14 April 2022.

At 1 April 2022, a total of 3,751 uniformed Royal Navy Service Personnel were stationed at locations in Argyll and Bute, which comprise the Faslane and Coulport sites. Of these, 1,367 personnel were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 36% of the total.

At 1 April 2022, 534 uniformed contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 478 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 90% of the total.

At 1 April 2022, 409 uniformed contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 364 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 89% of the total.

These figures reflect Ministry of Defence Police and Ministry of Defence Guard Service employees, who are Ministry of Defence civilian employees. The term 'uniformed contractor' has been translated to mean those employees who are neither civilian contractor, non-uniform civilian, or Service Personnel.

At 1 April 2022, 1,026 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 942 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 92% of the total.

At 1 April 2022, 479 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 434 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 91% of the total.