§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the scenario and aims of the nuclear weapon accident exercise due to take place between 20 and 24 May at the Otterburn ranges in Northumbria; if the guidance to civil authorities on action to be taken in the event of a nuclear weapons accident will be tested; if he will list(a) the civil authorities due to participate in the exercise and (b) the civil and military authorities from the United Kingdom and abroad invited as observers; and what is the cost of mounting the exercise. [29396]
§ Mr. SoamesExercise Senator will be based on an accident during the road transportation of nuclear weapons. While the scenario and its consequences are extremely unlikely, it has been designed to fulfil the aim of testing arrangements for a full combined response by the MOD's nuclear accident response organisation and the appropriate civil agencies. It will therefore provide an opportunity to evaluate the MOD guidance which was recently issued under the title "Local Authority and Emergency Service Information on Nuclear Weapon Transport Contingency Plans". A copy of this document is in the Library of the House. There will be a wide range of civil players, including the emergency services and local authorities in the vicinity of Otterburn, and officials from appropriate government departments and other agencies at both regional and national level. Invitations to observe relevant parts of the exercise have been issued by the main participants to appropriate authorities and individuals. The costs attributable to Exercise Senator are not available centrally and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.