THE SNP have demanded urgent answers in a letter to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the UK Government confirmed a serious nuclear incident took place at Faslane earlier this year.
Figures released to The Herald last week revealed that a Category A event – the most serious category – took place between January 1 and April 22 this year.
The MoD have since claimed it posed no risk to the public.
It came a week after it was also forced to admit that Loch Long, which is next to the UK’s nuclear bomb store at Coulport, is now contaminated with radioactive tritium following years of infrastructure decay.
Bill Kidd, a longtime campaigner against nuclear weapons and SNP MSP (below), has condemned these revelations as a “damning indictment of Westminster’s disregard for Scotland’s safety and environment” and said it was proof that nuclear weapons are “dangerous, immoral, and completely incompatible with the values of the people of Scotland”.
Now, he has called for the MoD to immediately publish full details of the Category A incident, provide a complete contamination report for Loch Long, and set out a clear plan for clean-up and prevention.
In his letter to the Defence Minister John Healey, Kidd also wrote that Scotland “rejects nuclear weapons” and that independence would “mean their removal from our shores and an end to radioactive waste being dumped into our waters”.
He added: “Until then, your government must be held accountable for the danger and damage caused.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We place the upmost importance on handling radioactive substances safely and securely. Nuclear Site Event Reports demonstrate our robust safety culture and commitment to learn from experience.
“The incidents posed no risk to the public and did not result in any radiological impact to the environment. It is factually incorrect to suggest otherwise.
"Our government backs our nuclear deterrent as the ultimate guarantor of our national security.”
The full letter reads:
"Dear Minister,
I am writing to express my deep concern at recent revelations about safety failings and radioactive contamination linked to the UK’s nuclear weapons facilities in Scotland.
It is unacceptable that Scotland is once again facing serious safety breaches because of the UK’s nuclear weapons programme.
Your Department has now confirmed that a Category A nuclear safety event, the most serious classification, took place at HMNB Clyde earlier this year. This follows your admission that in the past year alone there have been 5 Category B incidents, 29 Category C incidents, and 71 Category D incidents.
Meanwhile, Loch Long, beside the UK’s nuclear bomb store at Coulport, is confirmed to be contaminated with radioactive tritium. Emissions from the Royal Naval Armaments Depot have more than doubled in five years, the result of failing infrastructure, over 1500 corroded pipes, and repeated leaks, including a major 2019 incident that discharged radioactive water directly into the loch.
This catalogue of failures is a direct consequence of Westminster’s nuclear obsession and disregard for Scotland’s environment, public health, and clear opposition to Trident. While billions are spent on weapons of mass destruction, our communities are left to bear the risks and clean up the mess.
I therefore request that you urgently provide:
Full disclosure of the Category A incident, including any radioactive release and its impact.
A detailed contamination assessment for Loch Long, including public health implications.
A clear plan to prevent further incidents and remediate existing damage.
Scotland rejects nuclear weapons. Independence would mean their removal from our shores and an end to radioactive waste being dumped into our waters. Until then, your government must be held accountable for the danger and damage caused.
Yours sincerely,
Bill Kidd MSP
Scottish National Party"
