Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on any implications for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines arising from the conclusion of the recent meeting of the London dumping convention.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe meeting agreed that the principles of the LDC should be applied to the disposal at sea of all vessels whether or not they are entitled to sovereign immunity. Britain stated that, were decommissioned nuclear submarines to be disposed of at sea, the Government would apply requirements no less stringent than those which they would apply to comparable waste of other origin. I must emphasise that sea disposal is only one of the options that the Government are considering for the disposal of such submarines and no decisions have yet been taken.