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.

Navy dock in danger of becoming a 'nuclear dumping ground'

Guardian reports
“Navy dock in danger of becoming a 'nuclear dumping ground' Military chiefs are running out of space to store the UK's growing number of obsolete nuclear submarines, prompting fears that one of the country's busiest naval ports is set to be turned into a nuclear scrapyard."

The Isolus website states that a fourth round of consultation is due to start in 2010 and will last for at least 12 weeks.

The delays in addressing the decommissioned nuclear submarines mirror the situation on MODs general strategy for the management of nuclear waste, which it has failed to publish.

The requirement for the strategy is detailed in the in the policy published in October 2007 “Ministry of Defence Policy for Decommissioning and the Disposal of Radioactive Waste and Residual Material arising from the Nuclear Programme”

IAEA & Euratom apply to defence related radioactive materials and wastes managed by the NDA

The NDA has confirmed that the IAEA safeguards regime for radioactive materials/substances and radioactive waste and also, the provisions of the Euratom Treaty and subsidiary legislation does apply to radioactive wastes and substances/materials originating from UK defence activities managed, stored or disposed by the NDA or its contractors. I must admit I was somewhat surprised at the response.

Transcript of my email to the NDA and their response

FoI Request to the NDA dated January 8 2009

Dear JH
Thank you for your reply but correct me if I am wrong, but I do not recall you replying yes or no to this question bearing in mind the reference I made UK defence activities

"So am I correct that your reply means that the IAEA safeguards regime for radioactive materials/substances and radioactive waste and also, the provisions of the Euratom Treaty and subsidiary legislation will apply to radioactive wastes and substances/materials originating from UK defence activities managed, stored or disposed by the NDA or its contractors."

Fred Dawson

Reply from NDA dated February 9 2009

Dear Mr Dawson

Sorry for the delay in responding. The answer is yes.

Regards

JH Information Access Manager

NDA, Herdus House, Westlakes Science and Technology Park, Moor Row, Cumbria, CA24 3HU
T: 01925 80 2077
W: http://www.nda.gov.uk