HMS Renown (Hansard, 27 November 2001)

§ Dr. Moonie

In my answer on 11 May 2000,Official Report, column 447W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline, West (Rachel Squire), I announced that we would be investigating the options for the land storage of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines. I also informed the House that we had separately received an unsolicited commercial proposal from Babcock Rosyth Defence Ltd. (BRDL), the owners of Rosyth Royal Dockyard, to dismantle the reactor compartment of the decommissioned nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Renown, and store the components. At that time we had agreed that planning and feasibility work could proceed, but I assured the House that the proposals would not be implemented until Ministers and the relevant regulatory authorities were entirely satisfied and that I would make a further statement.

Since May 2000, much valuable work has been undertaken by BRDL to demonstrate the feasibility of their proposals. While I am satisfied on the matter of feasibility, it is clear that the necessary regulatory approvals to commence dismantling Renown will not be in place until next year. Even if the approvals are granted, and that is a matter for the independent regulators, it would be many months before the work to dismantle Renown could be completed. We have already begun the process of inviting industry proposals on the best solution for the land storage of decommissioned nuclear submarines generally and it would therefore he too late for the knowledge gained from dismantling Renown to inform this process. As a result, I have decided that there would be no advantage in proceeding with the dismantling of Renown ahead of the other decommissioned submarines stored at Devonport and Rosyth.

Renown will continue to be stored afloat at Rosyth until such time as the final decisions on land storage are implemented. These decisions are unlikely to be taken for some two to three years and will be subject to full and open consultation.