Opposition to Rosyth 'submarine graveyard':

Rosyth Community Council has expressed opposition to nuclear submarines being sited at the town's dockyards and wants them removed.

The Ministry of Defence has still to announce whether more will join the seven decommissioned vessels, but it is understood that the choice is west Fife or Devonport, Plymouth.

There has been anxiety from councillors and the community about the submarines, with fears raised concerning possible leaks.

The community council has added its opposition to them being stationed at the dockyards, describing them as a "subs' graveyard."

Chairman Mike Shirkie said, "We are against the subs being located here but there is no decision yet regarding the waste from them until a disposal route has been agreed.

"As far as we know there is no further action until that has been looked at. I understand, although this has not been confirmed, that a campaign has started down in Devonport as they don't want the extra subs.

"We have seven submarines here at Rosyth and there are 11 down in Devonport, so we do not wish any more here."

Mr Shirkie said, "There are many politicians that do not want the subs and we don't want them either. It should not be treated as political. I believe it's apolitical.

"It does not benefit the local community having the subs here but we need to get heads together on this to sort it out."

An MoD spokesman said that no decision had been made on the future of the nuclear submarines.

He said, "The submarine dismantling project is currently in the assessment phase during which it is seeking to identify and develop the recommended options to satisfy its requirements.

"These options involve the site for initial dismantling, the technical approach to be adopted and the solution for storage of intermediate-level radioactive waste until a suitable disposal facility is available.

"We will work with industry to satisfy the requirements of the aims of the project.

"To do this, we are undertaking relevant technical, environmental and value-for-money studies that will form the basis of a public consultation and subsequent decisions. No major decisions will be taken until we have completed public consultation."

The spokesman added, "The environmental work we are carrying out is known as a strategic environmental assessment (SEA).

"SEA is a formal and legally-defined process that assesses any potentially significant environmental, health, or socioeconomic effects of the SDP options, and their wider implications for sustainable development.

"This assessment, and the resulting environmental report, will be presented as a key element of the public consultation."

Source: The Courier. By Paul Reoch. 25 April 2011

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/13263/opposition-to-rosyth-submarine-graveyard.html

SNP group believes submarines at Rosyth create ever-present radioactive risk:

Part of the dockyard at Rosyth 

Three west Fife SNP politicians have demanded that all nuclear waste be removed from Rosyth as part of the submarine dismantling project (SDP).

Councillors Douglas Chapman, Ian Chisholm and Bill Walker all believe there are ongoing problems caused by the seven decommissioned nuclear submarines at Rosyth.

The project has looked into the possibility of dismantling around 27 subs at the west Fife base and Devonport in Plymouth.

Rosyth has a licensed store on its site. Fears have been raised that low-level radioactive materials may continue to be stored on site at Rosyth if dismantled subs continue to be kept there.

It is believed the contract to dismantle the decommissioned subs may safeguard jobs at the Fife dockyard, but it has also sparked environmental concerns.

The Courier previously revealed that two of the vessels sprang leaks in their outer hulls. The leaks were subsequently plugged. It has been estimated that it costs the Ministry of Defence (MoD) around £1m to store the submarines at Rosyth.

Babcock Support Services Ltd runs the privatised former royal dockyard in Fife and has seven decommissioned subs at the site, including the Polaris vessels Revenge, Resolution, Renown and Repulse.

All of the subs have had their highly toxic fuel removed but parts of the vessels, including the reactor compartments, are still contaminated.

Mr Chapman, who is one of the representatives for the Rosyth ward, said he has concerns that more submarines could be destined for Rosyth.

Magnet for submarines

He said, "The real danger for Rosyth is that, following the break-up of one or two submarines, not only is the intermediate nuclear waste being kept here but then Rosyth becomes a magnet for the 11 submarines at Devonport and then becomes an international nuclear breakers yard for old subs worldwide,"

"Babcock have said that if the seven hulks are removed from the dockyard basin then that might open up new commercial opportunities here. That's more of a positive vision for Rosyth and that's the vision we support."

Mr Chisholm said the three SNP politicians will be meeting the Ministry of Defence on March 11 to try to resolve the issue.

He said, "We will listen to their reasons why nuclear waste should remain in Rosyth. The huge issue, however, is if we start breaking up old submarines at Rosyth, then how much new nuclear waste will be stored at Rosyth?

"We believe this is a backward step for Rosyth, as Babcock are trying to decommission the nuclear storage facility and remove nuclear work from the dockyard.

"We fully support Babcock Plc in the way that they are moving the dockyard from being reliant on defence-related work and into diverse commercial activity.

"The way that they propose to use the redundant Trident refit RD 57 'hole in the ground' to create a container port should be welcomed and, for Rosyth, that's the way forward."

Mr Walker added, "There is no doubt in my mind that since Devonport got the Trident refit work in 1993, then they should also take the responsibility for the rest of the submarine fleet."

A spokesman for the Royal Navy said they could not comment on the matter as nothing had been decided on the future of the decommissioned subs at Rosyth.

Source: The Courier. By Paul Reoch. 3 March 2011

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/11430/snp-group-believes-submarines-at-rosyth-create-ever-present-radioactive-risk.html

Fears over sub scrapyard decision:

Eight disused submarines are already being stored at Devonport 

An anti-nuclear campaigner has raised concerns officials have already decided Plymouth should be a scrapyard for decommissioned nuclear submarines.

Ian Avent, who sits on the Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) consultation advisory group, said he feared it was a "done deal" for Devonport Dockyard.

His concerns come after the SDP panel, which is to recommend how to dispose of submarines, lost two members.

The government said that no decision had been taken yet.

The UK currently has a fleet of 27 nuclear submarines.

Eight disused vessels are being stored at Devonport, ahead of being dismantled, while seven are at Rosyth, in Fife.

The SDP panel has to decide how to deal with the radioactive and non-radioactive hazardous wastes from the submarines in the short and long-term.

However, earlier this week, government adviser Peter Lanyon resigned from it in protest at the sacking of his colleague, Dr Jane Hunt.

Mr Lanyon said his position was no longer tenable as his views and those of his dismissed colleague were not being considered.

Mr Avent, who is on the SDP panel and is a member of the local pressure group CANSAR (the Campaign Against Nuclear Storage And Radiation), said he was concerned Dr Hunt was sacked because the government was given advice it did not want to hear.

He said: "I'm frightened that it's a done deal. I'm frightened that the consultation might be just window dressing.

"If that's the case, what are we left with? We're left with our councillors and our MPs to defend us."

The government said that it did listen to scientists' advice.

Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, who was at the Met Office in Exeter on Friday, said: "We do listen to scientists, including on that issue.

"In the end, government has to make its decisions on the basis of the best scientific evidence available to it.

"We should be by guided by the science and that is the approach that we'll take."

Source: BBC. 6 November 2009

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/8347819.stm