§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to test the level of
Month Name Location August Convoy NAR team Standardisation Leicestershire September RAF Station NAR team Standardisation* Nothamptonshire October UK/US Table Top Exercise Norfolk October RAF Station NAR team Standardisation* Suffolk *RAF Station Nuclear Accident Response (NAR) teams provide immediate response forces for the air transportation of nuclear weapons.
§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what lessons were learnt from the nuclear weapons accident exercises in East Anglia conducted on 24 May. [73185]
§ Mr. IngramThere were no formal nuclear weapon accident response exercises held in East Anglia on 24 May 2002.
The Nuclear Weapon Convoy Group were however conducting training in East Anglia at this time as part of an ongoing training programme to ensure that the highest standards of safety and security are maintained. The details of this operational training are classified and I am therefore withholding the information requested under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the transfer of activities at Rolls Royce Nuclear, Derby, qualifies for its appraisal under REPPIR. [73188]
322WUK compliance with the new REPPIR nuclear safety regulations; what requirements are set down by the Health and Safety Executive in respect of the new nuclear safety regulations; and whether his Department has provided the HSE with information to calculate safety zone distances in respect of a nuclear accident. [73187]
§ Mr. IngramThe Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 sets down the requirements and responsibilities of operators, carriers and local authorities in responding to a reasonably foreseeable radiation emergency.
The Ministry of Defence has undertaken assessments to identify the hazards and evaluate the risks from the Defence Nuclear Programme and has provided to the Health and Safety Executive reports of these assessments including, where appropriate, the area which is likely to be affected by the dispersal of any radioactive substance.
The MOD maintains contingency plans to deal with accidents involving defence nuclear materials and conducts regular nuclear accident response exercises designed to test these plans.
§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what nuclear weapons accident exercises his Department plans to hold in the next 12 months. [73186]
§ Mr. IngramThe following table gives the current date, name and location of the nuclear weapon accident response exercises that are scheduled to take place during the remainder of 2002. The nuclear weapon exercise programme for 2003 is not yet finalised.
§ Mr. IngramIt would not be appropriate for me to comment on the commercial activities of Rolls Royce at Derby and the application of Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (REPPIR). They are a matter for the company and the Health and Safety Executive as the regulatory authority for REPPIR.
§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for bringing the non-legislative LAESI guidelines into line with the new REPPIR requirements in respect of the transport of nuclear materials. [73300]
§ Mr. IngramLAESI neither provides safety guidelines or regulations, but provides the Local Authorities and Emergency Services with information on contingency arrangements for accidents during the transport of nuclear weapons, special nuclear material and new and used submarine reactor fuel (known collectively as Defence Nuclear Materials). Our arrangements, as detailed in LAESI, have regard to all current statutory requirements, including Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (REPPIR), and are kept under regular review.