SNP Councillors seek debate on nuclear safety in Argyll

In a timely move, the SNP Group of Councillors in Argyll & Bute are to table a motion for debate at the June meeting of the Council.

This expresses concern at the lack of independent scrutiny of certain operations at the UK Submarine Base at Faslane which could lead to serious environmental pollution.

The MoD’s track record at Faslane – and for incidents of radioactive contamination not reported to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) at the time – does not inspire confidence. Conditions have on occasion been such that SEPA has said publicly that, if it had the authority – which it does not – it would close the base until the situation had been redeemed.

Then, yesterday (4th May), revelations showed that seriously flawed nuclear submarine maintenance procedures left Faslane and Scottish waters at risk of a serious nuclear accident from the operations of one of the two affected Trafalgar class nuclear submarines, HMS Turbulent.

The Ministry of Defence was forced to admit that its procedures had been ‘weak and ambiguous’. Ambiguous? Absent, perhaps.

The two submarines had their hull valves sealed during pressure testing for hull leaks in dry dock maintenance. The seals were not removed and no subsequent checks discovered that they remained in place. The submarines were on active operation – HMS Turbulent for two years and HMS Tireless for one year – with these values blocked.

This meant that any generation of excess pressure by the onboard nuclear reactor which powers the boilers, would have been unable to vent through these valves, as it is intended to do. This is described as similar to blocking the valve on a domestic pressure cooker. The probable consequence would have been an inboard explosion, forcing radioactive contaminated water into the manned quarters of the ship.

During her two years of operation in this highly dangerous condition, Turbulent operated in Scottish waters and visited Faslane – as well as Bergen and Lisbon, unknowingly carrying the risk to these locations.

The initiative from the SNP councilors is made in support of representations from residents who live in the vicinity of the base and from some employees who work at the installation, the SNP Councillors have decided to raise the matter at Kilmory.

Councillor Donald MacDonald says: ‘It is important that people in the Helensburgh and Lomond area have confidence that they receive the same level of monitoring and protection afforded to those who live in the shadow of other nuclear installations.

‘While we appreciate that the Naval Authorities conduct internal checks on various operational aspects which could give rise to environmental pollution, including nuclear particle detection, residents still have real concerns given the somewhat chequered history regarding pollution in the past.

‘We feel that independent scrutiny should be applied separately and in addition would give local people confidence in the monitoring of environmental safety’.

Contrary to party politically-generated mythology, the SNP are committed to the future of the Faslane Base as the centre of Naval operations providing jobs in an Independent Scotland and are fully signed up to the removal of Nuclear weapons from the Clyde Base.

The Council Group point out that the specific issue which needs to be addressed and discussed on this occasion relates solely to the safety of workers and residents in the area.

The Leader of the SNP Councillors Group, Councillor Robert MacIntyre says: ‘We are calling for independent inspections to assist the MOD and Naval Authorities to ensure public protection of the highest standard, on land and waters, in and around the Faslane base.

‘In the interests of public and environmental safety I am hopeful that our proposed motion can attract the support of all political persuasions within the Council’.

Added to the concerns on nuclear safety at Faslane, there are additional concerns about radioactive contamination at the former RAF Airbase at Machrihanish which the MoD is currently disposing of and which the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) aims to buy to develop as a community asset.

For Argyll has made representations to the group of Councillor concerned with these issues and has been assured that the motion and the debate will include a focus on the unmonitored situation at Machrihanish and that the issue ‘is on our radar and is being rectified’.

The Council, as we have reported, has been fornally asked by the community company, MACC, to notify SEPA of concerns about contamination at the site, as the European Liability Directive requires it to do. To date the COncil has refused to do so, believing, ‘weakly and ambiguously’, that the matter is best left to the MoD.

We have pointed out to the SNP group of Councillors that there is an inherent contradiction in their initiating a debate hoping to secure approval of a motion for independent scrutiny of nuclear safety at Faslane, while the Council which they jointly control, refuses to initiate an independent scrutiny of the site at Machrihanish.

The Councillors are quite right to insist on this independent scrutiny. It is the only protection for the general public against MoD negligence.

But are the Councillors serious in their expressed concerns?

The Council is empowered by the named legislation to notify SEPA now about the concerns over the Machrihanish site. Why will it not do so? Why do the SNP Councillors not insist that it should?

For Argyll and MACC need to see actions – already there to be taken – rather than motions at Council which may not attract enough support and which, on current performance, may never be acted upon anyway.