Nuclear warhead factory police under investigation for failing to conduct key security duties
Police responsible for guarding the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield, where the UK's nuclear weapons are assembled, are under investigation for failing to carry out security duties. Read more.
Defence Secretary publishes update on progress with Trident replacement
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has published the second of a series of annual updates on the Trident replacement programme and announced two further contracts with BAE Systems for work on the programme, taking the total spent on replacing Trident to more than £800 million since 2011. Read more.
New analysis reveals full impact of Trident replacement on defence budgets
New analysis by the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) shows that spending on the Trident replacement programme looks set to consume one third of the UK's military equipment budget for most of the 2020s – and beyond. Read more.
Standards of accountability and openness at Atomic Weapons Establishment rated “poor” in annual review
An annual review by Nuclear Information Service has concluded that standards of accountability and openness at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) remain “poor”, having failed to improve over the past year. Read more.
Regulator extends timescale for completion of AWE structural improvements
Repairs to structural damage to a major nuclear processing facility at Britain's main nuclear weapons factory will not be completed until May 2015 – almost three years after the problems were first discovered. Read more.
Go-ahead given for construction of Pegasus uranium store at Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has given permission for construction work to start on a radioactive materials store as part of 'Project Pegasus' at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), but has criticised AWE for “numerous instances” of failing to provide adequate information in the application to commence work. Read more.
Serco group to repay £68 million to government following tagging fraud
Serco Group, one of the three corporate partners in AWE Management Ltd, the company which runs the UK's nuclear weapons factories, has agreed to repay more than £68 million to the government after overcharging on a contract with the Ministry of Justice for the electronic tagging of prisoners. Read more.
Devonport workers receive accidental radiation dose during submarine maintenance operation
Three workers at HM Naval Base Devonport have received an accidental intake of radioactive material following an incident during a submarine maintenance operation. Read more.