Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent, Independent) | Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Atomic Weapons Establishment report on the effects of extreme weather events and flooding at its Burghfield and Aldermaston nuclear warhead development and production sites in July 2007; how much the remedial action taken as a result of the report has cost to date; and what assessment he has made of the sustainability of (a) AWE Aldermaston and (b) AWE Burghfield.

Quentin Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence; Grantham & Stamford, Labour) | Hansard source

Following the extremely heavy rainfall on 20 July 2007, immediate action was taken by AWE plc., with the agreement of MOD, to prevent any reoccurrence of the flooding. These measures proved effective when further extreme weather conditions were subsequently experienced across the country.

AWE prepared a comprehensive review, learn and improve (RLI) assessment report following the flooding to ensure the continued safety of both sites. The MOD endorsed this report, and its recommendations, many of which were under way or implemented prior to its publication. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has remained content that nuclear site licence requirements have been met both during and subsequent to the periods of exceptional rainfall.

The cost of remediation, to the extent that it is not covered by commercial insurance, is still the subject of commercial discussions between the MOD and AWE plc.

The disruption caused by the flooding had no adverse effect on the UK deterrent programme, and both Aldermaston and Burghfield sites maintained the capability safely to support the deterrent. Knowledge gained from the events following the flooding has been taken into account in taking forward the programme of investment under way at AWE announced in July 2005, which will ensure that this capability is sustained into the future. Specifically, flood prevention measures continue to be included in designs for replacement facilities and the potential risk from flooding forms a key element of planning applications to the local planning authority.