Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the long-term environmental effect of delaying the dismantling of decommissioned submarines in UK dockyards.

We are confident that there are no significant safety or environmental concerns (radiological or conventional) with the current storage processes. All laid-up submarines at the Rosyth and Devonport Dockyards undergo regular inspection and maintenance to comply with the very highest safety and environmental standards. This includes continual monitoring, annual surveys and periodic docking for re-preservation of the hulls. All aspects of afloat storage, including potential environmental impacts and radiological safety, are regulated by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator.