§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of the visit of HMS Tireless to the port of Southampton; how often visits of this type are made; what are the criteria for deciding the timing and location of such visits; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartHMS Tireless made a routine visit to Southampton from 9–15 March in order to give her crew a period of rest and recreation and an opportunity to meet local organisations, including the sea cadet corps. The timing of such visits is largely determined by the operational programme of HM submarines and the availability of suitable port facilities. In my reply to the 629W hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 9 March at column 216, I gave the number of United Kingdom nuclear powered submarine visits to United Kingdom non-naval ports since 1970.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the local public safety scheme was activated in response to the visit of HMS Tireless to the port of Southampton; what class of berth the submarine is using; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe procedures for notifying the appropriate local authorities, emergency services and other civilian agencies of an impending visit of a nuclear submarine, specified in the Southampton special safety scheme, were carried out prior to the recent visit of HMS Tireless to the port. The berth used by HMS Tireless is categorised as a Z berth.