Urgent answers needed on radioactive leak at Nuclear bases
The UK government must urgently investigate and explain a series of leaks from the Coulport and Faslane bases that host the UK’s nuclear weapons into Loch Long.
A probe by The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) found that the Royal Navy had failed to properly maintain a network of 1,500 water pipes on the base.
The documents revealing the leaks were first secured by journalists at The Ferret after SEPA and the Ministry of Defence tried to keep them secret.
Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, who represents the West Scotland region, said:
"This was a stark failure on the part of the British Government, and one that could have had serious consequences.
"It is scandalous, but given the long list of previous incidents at Faslane and Coulport, it's sadly no surprise.
"The Ministry of Defence has long played fast and loose with these weapons of mass slaughter, throwing billions of pounds at private contractors whilst failing to even maintain its own facilities.
"These revelations will have been particularly chilling for my constituents who live near the site. To reassure them, UK Ministers must now investigate and explain why it happened and the steps they are taking to ensure it never does again. We need full transparency and accountability, not more secrecy.
“Nuclear weapons are a moral obscenity. They have no place in Scotland. These incidents underline the direct risk to the local communities who host them.
"It's time to disarm our waters and get these dangerous weapons of mass slaughter out of Scotland."