An independent nuclear expert has cast doubt about the ability of emergency services to cope with an accident involving a release of radiation from one of the Royal Navy's nuclear powered submarines when berthed in Southampton Docks.

John Large, who headed the team assessing nuclear and radiation hazards during the salvage of the sunken Russian submarine Kursk, told a public meeting organised by Southampton City Council that staff from the Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Service, and Police would be unable to deal with an emergency involving a nuclear submarine without breaching limits for doses of radiation to individual personnel.  

“To the extend that their dose limitation system permits their attendance firefighters will remain in attendance but others, most probably the ambulance trust personnel, more than likely police officers, and most certainly City Council employees will all have to withdraw from the coutermeasures zone”, he said. ... more

The Royal Navy is planning to cut the size of emergency protection zones surrounding berths for its nuclear submarines. Proposals to reduce the size of the counter measures zone surrounding the submarine berth at Southampton docks would see nearly 6000 households denied tablets which could help protect families from radiation in the event of an accident on board a visiting nuclear submarine. ... more

Two stories on the safety failings at the Faslane base.

Devastating admissions about one of Britain’s most significant nuclear sites are disclosed in MoD documents released under the Freedom of Information Act...

Safety failings are "a recurring theme" at the nuclear submarine base at Faslane. The transfer of three Trafalgar class submarines to Faslane is causing public alarm on the Clyde...

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*Mr. Hancock:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 1 July 2008, /Official Report,/ column 754W, on nuclear submarines, on what date the number of operative submarine berths at Southampton was increased from one to two; and when such berths were redesignated from Z to operational submarine berths. [244580]

*Mr. Bob Ainsworth:* The number of berths, as determined by the Port Authority at Southampton, has always been two; but they are only cleared to support one submarine at any one time. With respect to when berths were re-designated from Z to Operational submarine berth, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 June 2008, /Official Report,/ column 849W. ... more

Date: FRIDAY 5^TH DECEMBER 2008

Time: Around 12 noon

Location: BERTH 38. DOCK GATE 4

In advance of a full Exercise of the Sotonsafe Plan on 14th January 2009, a short Exercise took place on 18/11/08 to identify properties in a section of Hythe, a village on the New Forest side of Southampton Water. The task was to test naval ratings'ability to find every home and business in readiness to be able to distribute PITS -- Potassium Iodate Tablets that prevent radiation take up of the thyroid gland. SCANS observed the exercise in order to see if such a distribution is feasible and if all residents and workers in the designated area would have been reached in the event of an accident exposing them to radiation. ... more

Anti-radiation pills for Highlanders Emergency berths are located in the Highlands *More than 1,000 people living in the west Highlands are to be issued with pills to be taken in the event of a nuclear submarine accident. *The potassium iodate tablets are being given to people living near emergency berths designated for the vessels. The move is part of new regulations governing the response to a nuclear accident. ... more