Hansard on AWE Aldermaston, Nov 4th 2008

4 Nov 2008 : Column 300W

AWE Aldermaston
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects a pre-construction safety report to be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on the planned construction of a uranium enrichment facility at AWE Aldermaston. [232377]

Mr. Quentin Davies: There are no plans to build a uranium enrichment facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). Nor has the process of uranium enrichment ever been undertaken at AWE Aldermaston.

Published: 04.11.2008

Hansard on MoD handling of Burghfield AWE floods

From Hansard: Defence AWE Burghfield: Floods Written Answers on 27th Oct 2008

Published: 27.10.2008

Hansard on AWE Burghfield Floods, Oct 27th 2008

Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead, Labour) To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency planning had been conducted at AWE Burghfield before the 2007 floods to prepare for such an eventuality; and if he will make a statement.

Published: 27.10.2008

NEW NIS Submission to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY CONSULTATION

Global Security: Non-Proliferation

NIS argues that the risks posed by British nuclear weapons production and road transport of warheads threaten each individual citizen and our way of life. Additionally, the risk of a criticality event at the substandard warhead assembly/disassembly facilities at AWE Burghfield is also unacceptable and unjustifiable.

Read the NIS submission to the FCO.

Published: 22.10.2008

Report: Swamped! The devastating impact of the July 2007 floods on Britain’s nuclear weapons factories

Swamped! The devastating impact of the July 2007 floods on Britain's nuclear weapon's factories.

Download the full report below. You can also read the redacted version of AWE's 'Review Learn and Improve' assessment of the floods here.

Published: 09.10.2008

NIS Update – Further delays in Gravel Gerties replacement

Nuclear Information Service

30 Westwood Road Southampton SO17 1DN
tel/fax: +44 (0)2380 554434 m: 07880 557035
e-mail: office@nuclearinfo.org www.nuclearinfo.org

Published: 25.09.2008

Manpower shortages in MoD operational nuclear submarine safety personnel

Nuclear Submarine issues raised in the Ministry of Defence Annual Performance Report 2007/8

Operational 'pinch points'

Category A Nuclear Watchkeepers Shortfall of 53 Watchkeepers out of 271 – a shortfall of 24%

Category B Nuclear Watchkeepers A shortfall of 77 Watchkeepers out of 417 a shortfall of 18%

Published: 10.09.2008

NIS technical briefing note: JSP 538 – Regulation of the Nuclear Weapons Programme

‘Joint Services Publication 538: Regulation of the Nuclear Weapon Programme’ (JSP 538) is the definitive Ministry of Defence guidance document on nuclear and radiological safety requirements within the UK nuclear weapons programme. A redacted copy of the full 522 page document was placed in the House of Commons Library in May 2008 in response to a Parliamentary Question1. This NIS technical briefing provides a brief summary of its contents and a commentary on some salient points.

Download the full report below:

Published: 30.08.2008

NIS Update – Planning Approval for CMRF

NIS Update, 18th August 2008

Planning Committee Approval for CMRF

Published: 19.08.2008

Nuclear Skills Shortage, NII Understaffed

Britain’s main nuclear safety regulator is struggling to halt a staff exodus that threatens to delay construction of a new generation of nuclear power stations. A brain drain of senior inspectors and engineers has left the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) so seriously understaffed that only 16 people are overseeing a highly complex approval process for new nuclear reactors that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says requires at least 40 people.

Published: 22.07.2008

Hansard on Nuclear Weapons Safety, July 22nd 2008

22 July 2008 : Column 1063W, Nuclear Weapons: Safety Measures

Mrs. Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place with regard to the (a) design and (b) handling of nuclear weapons to ensure that there is no popcorning or accidental explosion; what procedures are in place to ensure public safety in the event of popcorning; and if he will make a statement. [218746]

Published: 22.07.2008

NIS Update – including new AWE planning application deadline

Nuclear Information Service

Westwood, 30 Westwood Road
Southampton SO17 1DN Britain
tel/fax: +44 (0)2380 554434 m: 07880 557035
e-mail: office@nuclearinfo.org www.nuclearinfo.org

Published: 10.07.2008