Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 27 January 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 29 January 2010. It was answered by David Kidney (Labour) on Friday, 5 February 2010 on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Nuclear Submarines: Safety

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 November 2009, Official Report, column 46W, on nuclear submarines, what methodology the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate used to determine the radius of the emergency pre-planning zone around a berthed nuclear-powered submarine.

Answer: I have been asked to reply.As required under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) identified the potential radiation hazards from berthed nuclear-powered submarines and furnished this information to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Having assessed the hazards so identified, HSE formed the judgment that a Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ) set at a radius of 1.5 km from the submarines would provide a valid area in which the arrangements of local authorities should be applied to protect the public and society in the event of a reasonably foreseeable radiation emergency involving one of the submarines. The decision to reduce the DEPZ from 2 km to 1.5 km took account of an improved analysis of the potential radiation hazards by MOD.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 505 c567W; 314712
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Nuclear Submarines
Monday, 9 November 2009
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Safety Nuclear submarines
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk