Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines little progress

Willie Rennie (Dunfermline & Fife West, Liberal Democrat To ask the Secretary of State for Defence

(1)what assessment his Department has made of the merits of using the site at Sellafield for the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project;

(2) what sites his Department is considering to use for the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 24 February 2010, c597W)

Quentin Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence; Grantham & Stamford, Labour)

There are currently four regions where there are MOD or defence-related commercial sites that are likely to be considered for submarine dismantling project activities. These regions are Devon, Fife, Argyll and Bute and Berkshire. A number of briefings to elected representatives in these regions have already been carried out, including to the hon. Member, and others have been scheduled.
The project is at an early stage in the process to develop an effective public consultation and associated strategic environmental assessment. This work has included identification of existing nuclear sites, both defence and civil, that are technically capable of submarine dismantling or storing the resultant radioactive waste. At this stage, two sites have been identified that could be technically capable of carrying out dismantling activities and 12 sites have been identified that could be technically capable of carrying out waste storage. Technical capability is only one aspect and the wider suitability of sites has not yet been assessed.

Further analysis work is still required and, until the public consultation is complete, no decisions will be taken on sites for either submarine dismantling or waste storage. I am withholding details of the individual sites identified at this time, as the MOD intend to publish this information in the future as part of the planned public consultation and strategic environmental assessment.