The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am responding on behalf of the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Keir Mather), who is responsible for maritime matters and has led this work within the Department but is not available this evening. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Kevin McKenna) for securing this Adjournment debate and for the constructive way in which he has continued to engage with the Department on this long-standing and sensitive matter.
Frankly, it was fascinating to read the briefing for today and to see the photograph of the masts sticking up from the surface of the Thames. My hon. Friend has consistently articulated, on behalf of his constituents, the importance of safety and the strong local attachment to the SS Richard Montgomery as part of the area’s history. Those views are obviously shared by my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh (David Burton-Sampson) and his constituents.
It is entirely right that these matters should be discussed in this House, and I welcome the opportunity to set out the Government’s approach. As we have already heard, the wreck has been the source of intrigue, speculation and concern for a number of years, both regionally and nationally. I understand that it is even the subject of a Bollywood drama. I reassure hon. Members that my Department monitors the SS Richard Montgomery 24 hours a day, every day of the year; carries out annual surveys; and publishes reports detailing its condition. I am sure that hon. Members will be pleased to hear that those reports show no significant worsening of the wreck, and there is no reason to suspect that there will be any increase in risk.
None the less, the SS Richard Montgomery has spent more than 80 years lying on the bed of the Thames estuary, and will corrode over time. That is why the expert advisory group recommended in 2018 that the three masts should be removed to reduce stress on the overall structure and avoid the risk of heavy material collapsing on to the cargo of munitions.
Following that recommendation, a project was initiated to carry out mast removal, with contracts put in place to carry out the works. However, detailed investigations during the planning phase found that the site was more complex than originally thought, due to legacy munitions from both world wars present below the seabed. The project paused in 2023, to allow my Department to consider the best way to manage that risk.
Since 2024, the Government have invested time and resource in understanding as much as possible about the SS Richard Montgomery. That has included the most comprehensive survey programme ever undertaken on this wreck site, a thorough review of all available information, and revised modelling of a worst-case scenario.
The revised modelling, using the latest advanced techniques for simulating an explosion in water, has been peer-reviewed by experts at the Ministry of Defence. That might well be welcome news for any of my colleagues currently enjoying a drink on the House of Commons Terrace, because I reassure my hon. Friends that this latest modelling shows that even in the absolute worst-case scenario—considered highly unlikely—damage onshore is likely to be limited to potential minor breakages to single-glazed windows, with no debris expected to reach Sheerness or any other town, and waves unlikely to breach flood defences.
However, based on that modelling, the Government decided in May last year to introduce a restriction on flying above the wreck site. Rather than there being a concern about the dangers of aircraft flying over the site with any intent, that decision was made on the advice of the Civil Aviation Authority to protect any aircraft in the vicinity in an absolute worst-case scenario.
I stress that the risk of an incident related to the SS Richard Montgomery remains low, but the Government are committed to reducing that risk as far as possible. The SS Richard Montgomery programme has progressed a procurement at pace since mid-2025 to deliver mast reduction. As my hon. Friend the Member for Selby, the Minister responsible for maritime matters, set out in correspondence to local Members of Parliament and councillors in November 2025, the Department was clear about its intention to procure a specialist salvage contractor to carry out these works in a safe and controlled manner. That correspondence explained that the decision to progress mast removal was based on expert advice, reflecting the age and condition of the wreck and the need for proactive intervention to manage risk. It also made clear that the Department intended to launch a procurement process to identify a contractor with the specialist capability required to operate at such a complex site, while continuing to monitor the condition of the wreck.
The procurement was designed to prioritise safety and risk reduction while ensuring appropriate oversight, value for money and resilience in delivery. It also reflected the Department’s commitment to transparency and to keeping locally elected representatives informed as decisions were taken and the programme progressed.
As my hon. Friend the Minister made clear at the time, this would be a cautious, evidence-led process shaped by expert advice and informed by the unique risks associated with the SS Richard Montgomery. Consequently, a leading global salvage company, Resolve Marine, was appointed recently and is currently preparing detailed plans to undertake the work. The solution put forward by Resolve Marine is considered to provide the best chance of achieving mast reduction safely by 2027. It may be completed earlier than that, but that depends on the conditions, the weather and so on as the work is carried out.
My hon. Friends the Members for Sittingbourne and Sheppey and for Southend West and Leigh both raised important questions about what will happen to the masts once they are safely removed from the wreck. I recognise the strength of local feeling about preserving them as a cultural and historic feature. I want to be clear that at this stage, the Government’s focus must remain firmly on reducing risk and delivering the operation safely. Decisions about the treatment, storage or potential future display of the masts will depend on their condition once they are recovered, the way in which they are removed and what can be done safely and practically.
Furthermore, our salvage advisers have made clear that the masts will require specialised treatment and storage once removed to prevent decay. The conservation process required will not be clear until the masts can be studied after they have been removed, and it is therefore not possible at this stage to commit to displaying the masts in a particular location. However, my Department fully recognises the interest of the local authority, heritage bodies and the community, and I know how important this issue is locally. I have seen photographs of the mermaid mural, which is impressive, and I congratulate Sheerness town council and the Criterion theatre, which have both been involved in working with my hon. Friend to celebrate that local landmark which, as he said, is such a source of local pride.
As the project progresses, my officials will continue to engage with my hon. Friend and local stakeholders to explore what options might be feasible without compromising safety or prejudicing the primary objective of risk reduction. It would not be right to prejudge those outcomes now, but I assure him we understand that those conversations are important and will continue alongside delivery of the works. As my hon. Friend recognised in his speech, the wreck remains the property of the United States Government, and any decisions regarding the future of the masts and the wreck must be taken in consultation with the United States Maritime Administration. I assure my hon. Friends and the wider community that this programme is being taken forward with seriousness, transparency and a clear sense of responsibility.
The SS Richard Montgomery is not an issue that can be resolved quickly or simply, but the Government are addressing the situation in a careful, evidence-led way, informed by expert advice and supported by sustained engagement with those most affected, including my hon. Friend’s constituents and others with an interest. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for continuing to raise the interests of his constituents. My Department will continue to engage with him as the project moves forward.
I thank my hon. Friend once again for securing this debate and for his constructive contributions on behalf of the people of Sittingbourne and Sheppey. I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh on his contribution today. I look forward to updating the House as this project makes further progress.
Question put and agreed to.