§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) radioactive ship and submarine hulks remain at Rosyth and Devonport and (b) spent reactors remain at each site; and what is the amount of medium and high level radioactive waste at each. [16000]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThere are three decommissioned nuclear submarines at Devonport and five at Rosyth, containing only intermediate and low-level waste. A further two nuclear submarines at Rosyth and one338W submarine at Devonport are to undergo defuelling, de-equipping, and lay-up preparations prior to long-term storage pending disposal. Immediately after, there are 75 tonnes of intermediate-level waste and 140 tonnes of low-level waste within each submarine, which will decay in time. The actual level of radioactivity for each submarine, bearing in mind the differing operating profiles, lifetimes and decommissioning dates, can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
There is currently one spent reactor core at each of the dockyards pending removal to the storage facility at British Nuclear Fuels, Sellafield. I am withholding information relating to the radioactivity levels within the spent reactor cores under exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information relating to national security and defence. Storage of used submarine fuel at both dockyards fully meets the site licence requirements as authorised by the Health and Safety Executive nuclear installation inspectorate.