The potential move of the UK’s Trident nuclear-armed submarines from Scotland to Milford Haven has resurfaced this morning (Wednesday).

The Scottish Daily Mail’s front page reports that the MOD has secretly been examining the possibilities of moving the UK’s nuclear deterrent from Faslane on the River Clyde to Pembrokeshire.

The MOD has denied the claims (see below).

Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb MP, who is also the MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, said: “I’ve been to Faslane and seen for myself the thousands of high quality jobs provided at the base. At a time when Pembrokeshire has recently lost a major employer [Murco refinery] , stories like this will sound appealing to some.

“But the UK Government and the Ministry of Defence are absolutely clear that there are no plans to move the Trident base from Scotland. Such an operation would cost billions of pounds and is not on the table.”

Milford Haven has previously been touted as a potential base for the Trident fleet, should the submarines move from Scotland, and First minister Carwyn Jones once went as far as to say Milford Haven would welcome the move.

The Mail reported that the MOD is said to be looking at the possibility of shifting the base ahead of the General Election, when the Scottish National Party is expected to make big gains.

The paper reports that the SNP wants the fleet removed from Scotland and this could be a condition of any power-sharing deal, come a hung parliament in May.

The source said that it would be negligent for the MOD not to prepare for all contingencies, given the SNP’s rise in popularity.

In June 2012, First Minister Carwyn Jones provoked strong debate when he went on record to say Milford Haven would welcome Trident.

Answering a question in the Senedd about investment in ports, Mr Jones noted that the Scottish Government no longer wanted Trident based in Scotland.

He added: "There will be more than a welcome for that fleet and those jobs in Milford Haven."

A Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) report in 2012 ruled out Milford Haven as a potential base for Trident because of the energy facilities located around the waterway.

At the time, Plaid Cymru AM Simon Thomas whose region includes Milford Haven said Mr Jones "clearly has no grasp on reality if he believes that the people of Wales want nuclear weapons stored in Milford Haven".

He added: "Pembrokeshire would lose far more jobs than would be created because of the risks involved of having nuclear submarines. There are a number of oil refineries in the area which would have to be scaled down. What would the impact be on tourism if nuclear warheads were mixing with the seals of Pembrokeshire?"

Jill Gough, National Secretary of CND Cymru said today: "It would cost them billions to move Trident to Milford. What about the oil and LNG terminals and all those jobs?

"The basic message is of course, not in Wales, not in Scotland not anywhere."

UPDATE: Statement from the MOD: "The MOD is fully committed to retaining the deterrent on the Clyde and indeed we are basing all our submarines there from 2020.

"We can be very clear the MOD is therefore not planning to move the nuclear deterrent from HM Naval Base Clyde to Wales, or anywhere else. There have therefore been no conversations of any kind with the Welsh Government.

"HM Naval Base Clyde is the largest employment site in Scotland, with around 6,700 military and civilian jobs now, increasing to around 8,200 by 2020, and any alternative solution would come at huge and unnecessary cost."