HC Deb 31 January 1989 vol 146 c151W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific licensing arrangements exist with the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution covering the storage of nuclear materials at(a) Devonport, Rosyth and Faslane shipyards and (b) the Atomic Weapons Research establishment Aldermaston, Atomic Weapon Research Establishment Burghfield and the Royal Ordnance plant at Caerwent.

Mr. Sainsbury

Since their privatisation, the Devonport and Rosyth Dockyard Companies' nuclear facilities have been licensed, via the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate, under the terms of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NIA). The disposals of waste radioactive substances from these facilities are now made under authorisations issued, under the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 (RSA), by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in the Department of the Environment (HMIP/DOE) for Devonport and by Her Majesty's Industrial pollution inspectorate of the Scottish Development Department (HMIPI/SDD) for Rosyth.

Crown and Government Departments including Her Majesty's forces nuclear and radioactive facilities are not subject to licensing under the NIA. These MOD facilities are, however, subject to appropriate regulation, inspection and enforcement by Her Majesty's inspectors of HSE (HMI/HSE) under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA). Although the terms of the RSA are not applicable to such facilities, disposals of waste radioactive substances are subject to "agreements",made with the relevant environmental Departments, approved by the Secretaries of State for those relevant Departments.

Although safety enactments and statutes are not applicable to defence facilities, it is Her Majesty's Government policy that the standards of the health and safety requirements set by Secretary of State for Defence are, and shall be, at least as stringent as those set by enactments and other legislation for similar civil (non-defence) installations.

The following are the current positions:

  1. (a) The Naval Base at Faslane is not licensed under the NIA. Waste disposals are under an agreement with HMIPI/SDD.
  2. (b) None of the Stations of the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) based on Aldermaston, Burghfield and Cardiff (the former ROF Cardiff) is licensed under the NIA. Radioactive waste disposals are made in accordance with Agreements with the relevant Environmental Departments; viz: HMIP/DOE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for AWE (Aldermaston); HMIP/DOE for AWE (Burghfield); and the Welsh Office, in consultation with HMIP/DOE, for AWE (Cardiff).