§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all sites in Scotland where depleted uranium is stored in any form; what is the quantity stored in each case; and what measures are taken to protect the public from any potential dangers.
§ Sir Hector MonroIn Scotland, depleted uranium is stored on nuclear sites at UKAEA Dounreay and British Nuclear Fuels plc, Chapelcross.
Tonnages stored at these sites are:
- Dounreay: 110 tonnes
- Chapelcross: 5,000 tonnes
At these sites, similar controls are applied to depleted uranium as for all other nuclear materials.
From time to time the Ministry of Defence stores small quantities of depleted uranium at the test and evaluation establishment at Kirkcudbright. They are stored in accordance with current licensing regulations, arrangements are overseen by the Health and Safety Executive, and Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate is aware of them. It is also held at other munitions stores and depots, but it is not the Ministry of Defence's practice to disclose the quantities of or locations where, specific types of ammunition are stored. However, all such material is held in safe and secure facilities in accordance with the requirements for radioactive materials.