MOD NUCLEAR SUBMARINES AND PROJECT ISOLUS

Early day motion 969, tabled 1 April 2004 by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 27 members.

That this House notes with concern that the volume of high level radioactive waste has increased six per cent. since 1997 and that the total volume of high and intermediate level radioactive waste is due to increase to nearly 150,000 cubic metres by 2030; further notes the specific problems which have arisen from the decommissioning of the Royal Navy's nuclear submarines; welcomes the work of the ISOLUS project at Lancaster University to identify options for the safe management of radioactive waste products from submarines; notes that since 1990, 11 nuclear-powered submarines have been decommissioned and are stored afloat in Rosyth Dockyard and HMNB Devonport and that by 2040 there will be 27 decommissioned submarines which will require permanent storage of their nuclear waste; calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to immediately release the list of sites which are being considered by his Department for storing radioactive waste as part of project ISOLUS; and calls on the Government immediately to rule out the possibility of using the RAF base at Machrihanish near the Mull of Kintyre.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 14, Labour 9, Plaid Cymru 3, UUP 1.