HC Deb 26 November 2002 vol 395 cc172-3W
Jonathan Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on refit network schedules at the former Chatham dockyard including removal and refurbishment of(a) the reactor/ equipments and(b) associated pipework; and when these refits took place. [82523]

Dr. Moonie

Refit work undertaken on nuclear powered submarines at the former Chatham dockyard was subject to a rigorous production control system, which authorised repair work, including the removal and refurbishment of reactors/equipments and associated pipework, as identified in the overall refit network schedule programme. Refit work undertaken at the dockyard from 1970 until its closure in 1983 is shown in the table.

short distances by a hand-operated electrical lifting vehicle, where this was judged to be safe. Large items of intermediate level waste were usually transported within the dockyard under a police escort.

Very low-level waste for disposal by the local authority, and low-level wastes for delivery to the National Disposal Service at Harwell and to the national repository at Drigg, were usually transported by road vehicle, although on occasions waste was transported by rail. All transport of radioactive materials on the public highway or by rail was in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency's Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials.

Jonathan Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether unclassified workers at the former Chatham dockyard received the same training in respect of radiation exposure as classified workers. [82526]

Dr. Moonie

Prior to first starting work involving radiation, all radiation workers, whether classified or unclassified, received a lecture on the hazards and standard procedures for radiation protection. They were also given a personal copy of a booklet on radiation protection, which reiterated the content of the lecture. In addition, classified workers were given specific instruction appropriate to the nature of their work.

Visitors making short, supervised, educational or familiarisation visits to radiation areas, at times when the risk was judged to be low, were not required to receive such standard training.

Jonathan Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how(a) solid and(b) liquid nuclear waste at the former Chatham dockyard was stored(i) within the nuclear complex and (ii) within the wider dockyard environment. [82527]

Dr. Moonie

Solid radioactive waste was stored in the purpose-built Solid Waste Disposal Complex at the eastern end of Chatham dockyard. Other industrial buildings within the dockyard were also used as radioactive waste stores, as and when necessary. These buildings were monitored for radioactive contamination after use and, where necessary, decontaminated. Solid radioactive waste was stored in accordance with the Factories Act 1955, national ionising radiation regulations and Royal Naval instructions for radiological protection that were in force at the time. The arrangements were subject to inspection by the Factory Inspectorate.

Liquid nuclear waste was disposed of directly to the effluent treatment plant (ETP) in the nuclear complex, or transferred via liquid effluent tanks to the ETP.

Used resins, which were a mixture of solid and liquid material, were kept in specially designed resin catch tanks. They were stored at the Solid Waste Disposal Complex.

Forward to