Decommissioned Nuclear-Powered Submarines (Hansard, 11 May 2000)

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

We announced in March 1998 that we would undertake a study into options for the storage of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines. The initial phase of our study has been completed. We have concluded that while afloat storage would remain a safe option, if suitable alternative venues could be identified land storage offers the best overall solution in the long term. Further work will now be undertaken to determine which land storage option should be adopted. We expect this further work to take up to three years to complete.

The purpose of the next phase will be to determine which land storage solution should be adopted. This work will be taken forward in conjunction with industry, which will be invited to submit their proposals with a view to entering into a public private partnership arrangement. As part of the process, we will further develop one land storage option, the removal and storage of the intact reactor compartment and the recycling of the remainder of the submarine, as a basis for comparison with industry proposals. We have not identified specific land store sites but would expect these to emerge from the proposals we receive from industry. No decision will be taken on the most suitable storage option or on a site until we have completed the next phase of the study, which will include full and open consultation. As part of this process, environmental impact assessments will be undertaken for each storage option taken forward.

We are providing oral briefings to interested parties and the media and material is also available on the MoD website. In addition, we are inviting written comments as a means of shaping and informing our further work and plan to consult widely during the next phase of the study.

Separately, and in parallel, we have received an unsolicited commercial proposal from Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited, the owners of Rosyth Royal Dockyard, to dismantle the reactor compartment of one decommissioned nuclear submarine, HMS Renown and store the components. This would be an alternative to the traditional nuclear decommissioning work planned to start at Rosyth later this year and would not lead to any overall increase in the radioactive waste already held there. The intermediate level waste from Renown would be held initially in the purpose built facility at Rosyth, but BRDL has been asked to make proposals for its eventual removal.

The Babcock proposal will be taken forward in two stages and we have agreed that the first, which will involve feasibility and planning work only, may proceed. There will be no question of moving to the 229WA second, implementation stage of the proposal until and unless we and the relevant regulatory authorities are entirely satisfied. In these circumstances we will make a further announcement.

During the second stage, we will work with Babcock to produce an environmental impact assessment which will involve public consultation. In addition, the company will have to satisfy the nuclear safety and environmental requirements of the independent regulators, including the Nuclear Installations inspectorate and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, before the dismantling work can begin. The company will be briefing local interest groups and the media tomorrow.

In all of the above, safety remains of paramount importance and we will work to the same standards that apply to civil nuclear industry.