Nuclear Information Service

This region of the NIS site shows published records of UK government policy and parliamentary debates on nuclear weapons issues. It includes articles and links to the latest parliamentary debates; the views of media commentators and NGOs. The HANSARD section lists parliamentary questions and government ministers’ answers, which are a regular source of detailed information on all aspects of nuclear weapons manufacture, operations and military policy.

Flood map for AWE Burghfield. Shaded areas represent areas at significant risk of flooding, where the chance of flooding each year is greater than 1.3% (1 in 75).

events notice

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.

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MOD Stops Live Nuclear Work at AWE due to preasure from NII over safety risks..
2007 Annual Report released by NIS.
A New Film Exposes Deadly Cargo on British Roads..

AWE Building Project List

2008-02-13 00:00

7 Jan 2008 AWE Management

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) name, (b) function, (c) estimated cost and (d) projected in-service date is of each of the 23 new build projects in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan 2005-15. [170844]

Des Browne: The 23 projects included in each of the functions in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan 2005-15 are listed in the following table. Where applicable, the names of projects are indicated where they have been finalised. The function of each project correlates with the headings in the plan. Costs not shown are being withheld as their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests. Projected in-service dates are shown in five-year bandings in order to avoid prejudice to national security and/or defence interests.

These facilities are required to support the UK's current warhead in-service. Decisions on whether and how we may need to refurbish or replace this warhead are likely to be necessary in the next Parliament.

Name of project	Cost (£m)^{( 1)}	Function
Projected in-service period 2007-10
Orion Laser	183	Testing/research
IT server buildings (two projects)	30	Computer/communications
New office accommodation Phase 1	71	Office and business support accommodation
New office accommodation Phase 2	—	Office and business support accommodation
New office accommodation Phase 3	—	Office and business support accommodation
Modular accommodation five buildings	25	Office and business support accommodation
Car park	0.1	Office and business support
Car park	—	Office and business support
Landscaping	—	Environmental

Projected in-service period 2011-15
Small components interim	—	Manufacturing/production
High explosives climatic trials	—	Manufacturing/production
Warhead assembly/disassembly	—	Manufacturing/production
Systems engineering	—	Manufacturing/production
Hydrodynamics	—	Testing/research
High performance computer	—	Computing/communications
High explosives fabrication	—	Manufacturing/production
Chemical processing	—	Manufacturing/production
Landscaping	—	Environmental
Projected in-service period 2016-20
Uranium components	—	Manufacturing/production
High explosives assembly for trials	—	Testing/research
Small components	—	Testing/research
Laboratory	—	Testing/research
^{(1)( )}2007-08 prices.