§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Depleted Uranium Oversight Board was first set up. [144020]
§ Mr. CaplinThe formation of the Depleted Uranium Oversight Board (DUOB) was announced by the then Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for26W but, if a buyer cannot be found, vessels may be sold by means of a competitive tender exercise and bidders may include parties interested in scrapping the vessels. Of all the vessels sold over the past five years, the following (including Royal Fleet Auxiliaries) were sold for breaking:
Financial year Scrapped in: HMS Birmingham 2000–01 Spain HMS Beaver 2000–01 Turkey RFA Olwen 2000–01 India RFA Olna 2000–01 India When disposing of surplus vessels, the Government's policy is to comply with all national and international environmental legislation (including the Basel Convention) while ensuring the maximum return for the taxpayer.
The DSA is currently examining disposal options for HMS Intrepid, one of which is a sale for scrapping overseas.