§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards will be in place for citizens of the Devonport area when the nuclear reactor of HMS Vanguard is fired up after her Long Overhaul Period (Refit). [166902]
§ Mr. IngramThe nuclear reactor of HMS Vanguard is currently undergoing detailed inspection, revalidation and overhaul as part of the refit, and will be subject to rigorous testing prior to being operated. These measures are taken to ensure the safety of the reactor, and hence the safety of the workforce and members of the public. They are identical to those applied to all nuclear reactor systems towards the end of a refit where the submarine has been refuelled. All aspects of this work are subject to detailed safety justification and Devonport Management Limited (DML), as the nuclear site licensee, requires the prior approval of the UK's independent regulators, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, for all nuclear operations at Devonport Royal Dockyard. In addition, authorisation to operate refuelled nuclear submarines requires the approval of the Ministry of Defence's internal regulator. In the highly unlikely event of a nuclear incident, Devonport is covered by a site emergency plan, which is jointly prepared by DML and MOD. There is also an off-site emergency plan for which Plymouth City council is responsible.