HC Deb 09 July 1996 vol 281 cc128-9W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the recommendations produced in July 1992 by the review into the safety of United Kingdom nuclear weapons conducted by a working party led by Professor Oxburgh, have been implemented; which of the recommendations have yet to be implemented; for what reasons they have not yet been implemented; and if he will make a statement. [32763]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 17 June 1996]: The report of the working party lead by Professor Oxburgh published in July 1992 made 20 recommendations, of which 18 have now been implemented. Careful consideration was given to the recommendation on the involvement of UK nuclear weapons design authorities in weapon and missile inspections—recommendation 2—but it was concluded that the concerns that lead to this recommendation could be met without the direct involvement of the design authorities in all such inspections. With no immediate requirement for a future nuclear weapons system, it is premature to take forward the recommendation—recommendation 20—on defining a strategy for the safety justification of a new weapon system.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 June,Official Report, column 366, what are the established procedures for reporting unplanned occurrences involving a nuclear weapon on British territory; and when these procedures were first established. [36542]

Mr. Soames

The established procedures are designed to ensure that there is no delay in effecting an appropriate response to any unplanned occurrence involving a nuclear weapon. The precise arrangements would depend on the seriousness of the event. Thus an accident entailing a potential hazard to public safety would lead to involvement of the emergency services and appropriate elements of the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation. Section C of the guidance "Local authority and Emergency Service Information on Nuclear Weapon Transport Contingency Plans", a copy of which is in the Library of the House, describes the procedure for alerting the emergency services to a transportation accident. The circumstances of a more minor incident would be reported only within the MOD. A system of upward and outward alerting has existed for as long as there have been nuclear weapons in the UK: these procedures have been continually reviewed and developed over the years.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year his Department started to compile and maintain a central record of accidents or suspected accidents involving nuclear weapons controlled by Britain or the USA on British territory; and what is the current security classification of this record. [36541]

Mr. Soames

Compilation of a central database commenced in 1993. It is classified secret.