May 2007 Update

Nuclear Information Service

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: 01.06.2007

Tissue Samples Taken Without Permission from Families

On 18th April , Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alistair Darling made a statement in the House of Commons in response to the public outcry over the retention of tissue samples and whole organs from deceased workers in the nuclear industry without next of kin knowledge or permission.

During the morning it emerged that there were six such cases relating workers at AW(R)E Aldermaston. NIS was able to get a message during the speech, to Liberal Democrate MP, Susan Kramer on the floor of the House who was then able to ask the Minister about incidents at AWE.

Published: 18.04.2007

March 07 Update

BNFL’s AWE & DML Devonport shares boosted by Trident renewal vote

On March 19, 2007 The Express On Sunday reported that the Parliamentary Trident renewal vote boosted the value of BNFL’s 33% holding in AWEML. The report states that BNFL withdrew the sale until after MPs approved Trident renewal in order to boost its value. DML expects a similar increase in the price it can get from BAE Systems, the current bidder for the Plymouth dockyard. The article is reprinted in full below:

Published: 30.03.2007

AWE Burghfield Assembly/Disassembly site

Update on nearby housing plans

Prudential has withdrawn the planning applications recently submitted to West Berkshire Council, Reading Borough Council and Wokingham District Council for its Kennet Valley Park development in order to allow time for further consideration of some of the issues raised by local people and interest groups in consultation. The local authorities and other statutory and non-statutory stakeholders have been informed of this decision.

Amended applications will be submitted early in 2007.

Published: 06.03.2007

Hansard on AWE January – March 2007

8 Jan 2007 : Column 99W, Nuclear Submarines

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many warheads in the stockpile of operationally available warheads will be dismantled as a result of the reductions in the stockpile announced in the White Paper CM6994; and if he will make a statement. [108792]

Published: 06.03.2007

Concerns Over Nuclear Installations Report

The most recent Nuclear Installations Report on AWE can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/llc/2006/aldermaston3.htm

There are less worrying points than in the previous quarter's report but concern is still expressed about operations at Burghfield. The following agreement suggests that disassembly is only allowed to continue at a low level.