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Dounreay reactor fault: Statement due from Richard Lochhead MoD 'to lose' environment powers says Scottish government
(about 3 hours later)
Scottish Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead is to make a statement to MSPs about a radiation problem at a nuclear test reactor in the Highlands. The Ministry of Defence will lose powers for environmental regulation on radioactivity in Scotland, under Scottish government plans.
On Thursday UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said a radioactive discharge had been discovered at the Vulcan reactor at Dounreay in 2012. The move came following a political row over a problem at a nuclear test reactor in the Highlands.
However, the Scottish government has said it was not informed at the time of the incident. On Thursday the UK government said a radioactive discharge was found at Dounreay's Vulcan reactor in 2012.
First Minister Alex Salmond has demanded an apology from Number 10. Scottish ministers said all Scotland's environmental regulation should in future be run from Scotland.
Mr Hammond told the House of Commons that "low levels of radioactivity were detected" in the cooling waters of a reactor at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment in 2012. UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond told the House of Commons last week that "low levels of radioactivity were detected" in the cooling waters of a reactor at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment in 2012.
As a result HMS Vanguard, the UK's oldest nuclear-armed submarine, is to have its reactor refuelled at a cost of £120m. He said it was such a "low level" event that an announcement was not required and his department informed the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) later in 2012.
The defence secretary said the independent Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) were informed. 'Enforce action'
The Scottish government said Mr Lochhead was only notified shortly before Mr Hammond's statement, and alleged that Sepa had been told by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) not to make the information more widely available. Sepa said it was told on a confidential basis and as there was no safety risk decided not to share details with the Scottish government.
Scottish ministers have argued that, while responsibility for defence is reserved to Westminster, the involvement of Sepa means the incident impacted on environmental matters, for which the Scottish Parliament has responsibility under devolution. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Lochhead said a "Crown exemption", which meant that, at present, regulation of the environment in regard to radioactivity, within the areas of MoD establishments in Scotland was not subject to regulation by the Sepa, would be removed.
Mr Salmond has written to David Cameron to ask for an explanation for the delay in informing the Scottish government. The minister said that would see an end to the current situation where Sepa could only provide regulation under a "flawed gentlemen's agreement" with the MoD.
Mr Lochhead said: "There must be complete openness and transparency on any nuclear-related incident of this nature that relates to activities on Scottish territory, given the potential environmental impact. Mr Lochhead told the Scottish Parliament: "Sepa can regulate and enforce action on radioactivity across the whole of the nation except for the areas covered by MoD establishments.
"It is therefore totally unacceptable for the UK government to keep the Scottish people, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish government in the dark on the incident at Dounreay's Vulcan establishment." "That is a flawed and historic anomaly which has been of concern for some time, however the latest incident and the culture of secrecy surrounding it are the final straw and the lack of transparency in this case is an abuse of the crown exemption."
The MoD has denied that Sepa was ordered to withhold information from the Scottish government. "By removing the crown exemption, Sepa will be able to regulate all of Scotland and in this situation they would have had the power to demand that action was taken rather than the MoD being able to withhold vital information."
Mr Lochhead's ministerial statement can be watched live at BBC Scotland's Democracy Live website, from 16:15. Mr Lochhead added: "The MoD has again demonstrated a deep-seated culture of secrecy and have also misled local community representatives - telling them everything was fine and routine when it clearly was not."