HC Deb 29 July 1997 vol 299 cc177-8W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the procedures for informing foreign Governments if an accident involving British-controlled nuclear weapons had happened on their soil, or within their territorial waters, before 26 September 1986. [10402]

Dr. Reid

If it had ever been necessary to inform a foreign Government of an accident involving a UK nuclear weapon we would have employed normal diplomatic procedures and bilateral defence contacts under the auspices of arrangements governing the stationing of UK forces. The ratification of the International Atomic Energy Agency convention on early notification of a nuclear accident on 26 September 1986 gave formal acknowledgement to the procedures which we would have adopted.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors led his Department to compile a central record of accidents involving nuclear weapons controlled by Britain or the USA on British territory in 1993. [10401]

Dr. Reid

The creation of such a record followed a specific recommendation contained in the report by Professor Sir Ronald Oxburgh on the safety of UK nuclear weapons, published in July, 1992. A copy of the report was placed in the Library of the House at the time.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which hospitals have been designated since 1967 to treat casualties following an accident involving British-controlled nuclear weapons(a) on Ministry of Defence land and (b) elsewhere. [10947]

Dr. Reid

There are and have been no hospitals specifically designated to receive casualties following a nuclear weapon accident. Decisions on the hospitals to be used would be a matter for the responding ambulance service in consultation with the hospitals.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances staff from the atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston are sent to investigate an accident involving British-controlled nuclear weapons. [10945]

Mr. Spellar

The atomic weapons establishment would deploy a team of technical, scientific and other support specialists to the area of an accident involving a British nuclear weapon in response to a request from the Ministry of Defence's nuclear accident response organisation.