§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those sites that are licensed to hold used or unused nuclear submarine reactor cores, listing for each site how many it is licensed to hold and how many it currently holds.
§ Mr. AitkenThe information the hon. Member requests is as follows:
Site Licensed capacity Current holding1 VSEL, Barrow-in-Furness 1 new core Naval Reactor Test 1 used core 1 used core Establishment, Dounreay DML, Devonport 1 new core 1 used core 2 used cores BTL, Rosyth 1 new core 1 used core 1 used core BNFL, Sellafield Not limited by site licence 37 used cores Rolls-Royce and Associates Ltd., Derby Not limited by site licence 1 These figures exclude cores in submarine reactors. For security reasons, it is not our policy to comment on the location of new reactor cores.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the last used reactor core was transported to Sellafield; and from where it was moved.
§ Mr. AitkenI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 27 November,Official Report, column 895. The core to which I referred is regarded as used because it had been fitted to a submarine reactor plant, although it remained unirradiated.
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§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he first knew that the used core transportation package flasks used by his Department would have to be replaced.
§ Mr. AitkenThe current applicable standards are the 1985 International Atomic Energy Agency regulations which came into effect in the United Kingdom in 1991. The first formal indication that the used core transport packages would not, in their existing form, meet those requirements came during 1991 when a case was prepared to license the packages against those regulations. However, the likely need eventually to replace the packages was foreseen some time earlier and work had started on the provision of a new design of container.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the transportation of nuclear submarine reactor cores within the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. AitkenThe Government attach great importance to nuclear safety and no movement of Royal Navy nuclear submarine fuel has taken place without the relevant Department of Transport licence. Transportation of irradiated used fuel ceased on expiry of the latest licence for the MoD used core transport package in October 1991 and will not recommence until licensed containers are available. A programme is under way to procure replacement containers but this is a complex and technically demanding task and the first new container is not expected to be available before 1995. Other possibilities, including modification of the existing packages, are being explored with the aim of providing a licensed mode of transport for irradiated used cores in the meantime.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unirradiated nuclear submarine reactor cores are held by his Department; and what are their locations.
§ Mr. AitkenFor security reasons, it is not our policy to comment on the location of new reactor cores. Two used but unirradiated cores are held by BNFL Sellafield.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected date of the removal of the reactor cores from HMS Sovereign and HMS Revenge.
§ Mr. AitkenThe reactor cores in HMS Sovereign and HMS Revenge are currently planned to be removed during 1993 and 1994 respectively.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected timetable for the introduction into service of the replacements for used core transportation package flasks.
§ Mr. AitkenIndustry has been invited to tender for a replacement used core transportation package and subject to the outcome we expect to place a contract in 1993. Allowing for the detailed design and proving work that will then be necessary and the demanding engineering standards that apply, we do not expect the first replacement package to be available before 1995.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when used core transportation package flasks were last licensed for use in the United Kingdom.
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§ Mr. AitkenThe last used core transportation package transport licence expired in October 1991.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current locations of the reactor cores from (i) HMS Conqueror, (ii) HMS Warspite, (iii) HMS Courageous, (iv) HMS Churchill, (v) HMS Spartan, (vi) HMS Splendid and (vii) HMS Valiant.
§ Mr. AitkenThe information the hon. Member requests is as follows:
Submarine Location of reactor core HMS Conqueror DML Devonport HMS Warspite BNFL Sellafield HMS Courageous Aboard submarine at Devonport HMS Churchill BNFL Sellafield HMS Spartan Aboard submarine at Devonport HMS Splendid BNFL Sellafield HMS Vailant Aboard submarine at Rosyth
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the cooling pond for used nuclear submarine fuel cores at Rosyth to become operational; and what will be its maximum capacity.
§ Mr. AitkenThe Rosyth core pond is expected to become operational, for the storage of up to two complete fuel cores, during the latter half of 1993.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the invitation to tender for a new Ministry of Defence used core transport package was issued; what companies have entered bids; and what will be the estimated cost of the new UCTPs.
§ Mr. AitkenAn invitation to tender for a replacement used core transportation package was issued to Rolls-Royce and Associates in December 1991 and a response is due early next year. An estimated cost cannot be made available before a contract has been placed for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer by the Minister of State for Defence Procurement of 27 November,Official Report, column 895, why an unirradiated unused nuclear submarine fuel core was moved to BNFL Sellafield for safe storage and why it was not reused in another nuclear powered submarine refit at Rosyth or returned to Rolls-Royce and Associates, Derby for recycling.
§ Mr. AitkenThe core referred to in my answer of 27 November was originally intended to be used in a submarine refit which was subsequently cancelled prior to completion as a consequence of the "Options for Change" review. The core was built to an older design for which there are no opportunities for use in a further refit. The fact that the core has been fitted to a submarine reactor prevented recycling.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what interim measures are being taken to alleviate the problems arising from the halting of transportation of used nuclear submarine fuel cores in used core transport packages from Rosyth and Devonport; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenPossible interim measures for restoring a licensed mode of transportation for nuclear submarine 83W used cores, including the use of commercial containers and modification of the existing packages, are being explored. Used cores can remain safely contined within submarine reactors until licensed storage or transport arrangements are available for them. A limited number of used cores may temporarily be stored at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards in accordance with their nuclear installations inspectorate site licences. The relicensing of the core storage ponds at the dockyards to permit additional cores temporarily to be stored there is being pursued.