More than 300 nuclear safety incidents have been reported at Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde over the last five years, new figures show.

Between 2008/09 and 2012/13 a total of 316 "nuclear safety events" and 71 fires were recorded at the Faslane base.

There were 59 incidents in 2011/12 compared with 69 in 2012/13, according to figures obtained by the Sunday Herald through freedom of information legislation.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said none of the incidents had caused any risk to staff or members of the public.

Angus Robertson MP, SNP Westminster leader and defence spokesman, said: "These new figures are chilling - and once again show how widespread nuclear safety breaches are at Faslane.

"Wherever nuclear weapons are concerned safety must be paramount. We need to know exactly what is being done to address these breaches and tighten procedures.

"I will be lodging a parliamentary question as soon as possible to determine exactly what steps the MoD intend to take to ensure that safety concerns at HMNB Clyde are given then highest priority.

"The UK Government is still planning to spend £110 billion on renewing the Trident missile system and continue to dump these weapons of mass destruction on the River Clyde, in opposition to the wishes of the majority of Scotland's elected representatives at Holyrood and Westminster - the churches in Scotland - trades unions and civic society."

A MoD spokeswoman said: "As with all MoD sites, safety at HMNB Clyde is of paramount importance.

"That is why our comprehensive reporting system captures even the most minor of incidents and measures are put in place to prevent any repeat, meaning that it is entirely misleading to focus only on the number of incidents detailed in these reports.

"Fluctuations in numbers between years are perfectly normal.

"None of the events in the reports caused any harm to the health of any member of staff on the naval base, or to any member of the public."