*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarines Group will commence its programme of dismantling the UK’s defuelled nuclear powered submarines. [265166]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* No decisions on the dismantling programme will be made until completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment and public consultation. It is the intention to make an announcement regarding the programme in 2010.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the strategic capacity for storing nuclear submarines in Rosyth Dockyard will be reached; [265167]
(2) when the strategic capacity for storing nuclear submarines in Devonport Royal Dockyard will be reached. [265168]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* Any submarines leaving service with the Royal Navy are planned to remain at Devonport Royal Dockyard until there has been a decision on the dismantling solution.
Similarly, it is not intended to move any of the currently laid-up submarines until there is a decision on the dismantling solution.
Based on these plans, UK afloat storage capacity is forecast to run out before 2020.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether new facilities for defuelling and de-equipping submarines at Devonport Royal Dockyard will be completed by 2012. [265169]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* Facilities for defuelling and de-equipping submarines at Devonport Royal Dockyard continue to be planned for completion in 2012.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in meeting the 2010 date for a storage solution for the nuclear waste from the seven UK nuclear vessels at Rosyth Dockyard. [265170]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* We intend to make an announcement in 2010 regarding the proposed locations for submarine dismantling and the interim storage of the resultant nuclear waste. This is dependent on a number of factors, particularly the completion of a strategic environmental assessment later this year, and the intention to carry out further public consultation before any decisions are made. Good progress is being made towards this goal.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what other locations have been proposed as alternative storage sites for decommissioned nuclear submarines at Rosyth Dockyard. [265171]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* No sites other than Devonport Royal Dockyard and Rosyth Dockyard are being considered as storage sites for laid-up submarines before they are dismantled.
We do not currently intend to move any of the laid-up submarines before a submarine dismantling site has been proposed. We plan to announce the proposed site in 2010.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of moving the seven decommissioned UK nuclear submarines at Rosyth Dockyard to another site in the UK. [265172]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* We do not intend to move any defuelled submarines until the completion of the strategic environmental assessment, public consultation and departmental approval of the dismantling solution.
Cost forecasts for any proposed movement would be developed as part of the preparation of the project’s Main Gate Business Case, which is planned to be completed in 2014.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next UK nuclear submarine is due to be taken out of service; and whether it will be berthed at Rosyth Dockyard. [265173]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* The next UK submarine due to be taken out of service is HMS Trafalgar, scheduled for later this year. We currently intend to store HMS Trafalgar at Devonport Royal Dockyard until she has been defuelled. Its subsequent storage location will depend on the dismantling programme that is being developed.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all decommissioned submarines in Rosyth and Devonport Dockyards have been surveyed for possible holes. [265174]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Armed Forces (Mr. Bob Ainsworth) gave on 13 June 2008, /Official Report/, column 560W.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects on the environment of moving the seven decommissioned British nuclear powered submarines from the Rosyth Dockyard. [265194]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* No decisions have been yet been made about when or how submarines will be moved.
The existing Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarines (ISOLUS) Project Environmental Impact Assessment includes consideration of transportation matters. It is our intention to make this document available publicly in the near future.
More detailed assessments of the environmental impact of any planned movement of the submarines will be developed as required by relevant legislation.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was discussed at the seventh meeting of the Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarines Group on Wednesday 11 March 2009; and if he will make a statement. [265195]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* The Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarines (ISOLUS) Advisory Group is an independently chaired group that provides independent assessment of proposals and outcomes. It also acts in a scrutiny and advisory role to the Ministry of Defence ISOLUS Steering Group.
The meetings are open to the public to observe and notes of meetings are published on the ISOLUS website
A wide range of ISOLUS-related matters were discussed at the meeting on 11 March 2009. Notes from the meeting will be published on the ISOLUS website in April 2009 in line with normal practices.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many decommissioned UK nuclear-powered submarines with nuclear fuel in their reactors are at Devonport Royal Dockyard; [265499]
(2) where the UK nuclear-powered submarines located at Devonport Royal Dockyard will be housed after they have been defuelled. [265500]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* There are four decommissioned UK nuclear powered submarines that have fuel in their reactors at Devonport Royal Dockyard.
The plan is that they will remain there until a decision on the dismantling solution has been made.
It is the intention to make an announcement about the dismantling solution in 2010.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be made on the movement of decommissioned British nuclear powered submarines from Rosyth Dockyard. [265501]
*Mr. Quentin Davies:* The movement of submarines will depend on the dismantling programme that is being developed by the Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarines (ISOLUS) Project. This will be confirmed when the project receives Main Gate approval, which is scheduled for 2014.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the collision with Le Triomphant resulted in damage to the torpedo tube hatches on HMS Vanguard; and whether torpedoes were unloaded from HMS Vanguard before it was docked in the Faslane shiplift on 20 February 2009. [265947]
*Mr. Hutton:* I am withholding information about any damage that may have been sustained by HMS Vanguard as a result of the collision with FS Le Triomphant on the grounds of national security. I can confirm that the nuclear safety and security of HMS Vanguard was not compromised. It is standard procedure to off-load torpedoes from an SSBN before it enters the Faslane Shiplift facility.
*Angus Robertson:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Vanguard will return to full operational capacity. [267071]
*Mr. Hutton:* I am withholding information about the operational capacity of HMS Vanguard on the grounds of national security. I can confirm that the requirements of the deterrent patrol cycle will continue to be met.