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Defence cuts jeopardise safety of UK nuclear weapons

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Jan 28, IRNA -- The safety of Britain's nuclear weapons and submarines is being jeopardised by staff shortages and spending cuts, according to secret Ministry of Defence (MoD) reports.

The MoD’s Defence Nuclear Environment and Safety Board (DNESB) warned it can no longer ensure Trident warheads and nuclear submarines 'remain safe'.

There was a 'lack of adequate resource to deliver (and regulate) the defence nuclear programs safely', it said.

The reports from 2009, released under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal that Britain’s Royal Navy has been coping with shortages of reactor engineers and scientists by restricting their time ashore and cutting submarine operations, but now such trade-offs are becoming impossible.

A lack of money and suitably competent staff were 'the principal threats to safety in the defence nuclear programs in the medium term,' the DNESB watchdog concluded.

DNESB chairman Howard Mathers said the safety law aimed at reducing risks 'is not correctly understood' across the MoD and creates a risk from 'the sinking of a submarine, explosive potential of munitions, [and] radiation from the use of radioactive materials'.

The reports were obtained by former senior safety official, Fred Dawson, who accused the MoD of putting cost-cutting before public safety.

'These reports highlight the very serious resource and funding problems now faced by the MoD in the delivery of the nuclear propulsion and weapon programs safely without unacceptable risk to workers, the public and the environment,' said Dawson, who worked for the MoD for 31 years and was head of radiation protection policy before retiring in 2009.

In response, the MoD insisted that it takes its nuclear safety responsibilities very seriously.

'We have made improvements to our apprentice program as well as improving staff training and will continue to address the issues raised in the safety report,' a spokesman said.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30210059