Summary of Options
Chapter 1: In the event of a decision to remove nuclear weapons from HM Naval Base Clyde, to examine the economic impact and to identify options for the development of alternative employment opportunities.
1. The Scottish Government should write to the Ministry of Defence ( MoD), which would be responsible for decommissioning of Trident, asking it to engage, in the context of the Maritime Change Programme, as soon as possible with the Scottish Government and key partners (to include the management and staff representatives of HM Naval Base Clyde, the relevant local authorities including Argyll & Bute and West Dunbartonshire, Futureskills Scotland and PACE) to set up an expert group of the relevant agencies to:
- develop an action plan and route map to the date of decision taken to remove nuclear weapons from Scotland; this plan should identify and address the identified needs of the key personnel, communities and businesses that would be most affected by the removal of nuclear weapons and identify the resources and structures that might be brought to bear to offer assistance; and
- develop a strategy for the gathering and sharing of relevant data both prior to, and immediately after a decision to remove nuclear weapons from the base; this data to include information about the value of contracts associated with nuclear weapons to suppliers in Scotland (and potentially the remainder of the UK) with a view to assisting these suppliers to identify and plan for alternative revenue streams (insofar as is consistent with EU rules on State Aids).
2. In the event that the UK Government fails to engage adequately, the Scottish Government should put in place such a group in order to develop a comprehensive strategy and action plan to recommend to the UK Government. This is particularly important in the context of the Maritime Change Programme which is underway.
3. The Scottish Government should seek to engage with the UK Government to discuss what contingency arrangements the UK Government envisages for Scotland in the event of withdrawal of nuclear weapons from HMNB Clyde and/or decommissioning of Trident for Scotland, within any wider planning for the UK, and should ask the UK Government to publish the conclusions of the investigations into the costs and methods envisaged for the decommissioning of Trident to which the then Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, MP alluded in his response to PQ from Nick Harvey on 1 November 2006.
4. The Scottish Government should make a tangible commitment to support those affected by the removal of nuclear weapons to provide alternative employment/support/adequate training within the local area. It should develop a strategy, specifying the administrative resources and structures that need to be provided and deployed to manage this transition so as to minimise any negative impact on the people and communities concerned.
5. In recognition of the cost of providing such support, the Scottish Government should request the UK Government to allocate a "disarmament dividend" which should include financial compensation to assist those affected by the removal of nuclear weapons, and to cover the costs of managing any lasting impact of the presence of the nuclear weapons programme, such as decontaminating the site. Based on the idea of Just Transition which the STUC/ CND have argued for in their report, this funding would not be difficult to find in the saving made by the UK Government as a result of ending its current nuclear weapons programme and not replacing Trident.
6. The Scottish Government should investigate the potential opportunity for diversification of the HMNB Clyde into other industrial uses such as renewable energy alongside options for continuation of a naval base and to investigate skills compatibility and/or retraining where necessary
Chapter 2:
- Explore the various international opinions that exist on the legality of nuclear weapons so far as relevant to matters within the devolved competence of the Scottish Government ;
- Explore the implications of seeking observer status at the Non-Proliferation Treaty meetings and advise the Scottish Government on that process.
1. The Scottish Government could seek representation on the UK delegation at the NPT 2010.
2. The Scottish Government could seek representation at UK Government meetings to determine NPT policy.
3. The Scottish Government could arrange a presence in the margins of the NPT Review Conference.
4. The Scottish Government could encourage and facilitate NGO and Parliamentary representation from Scotland at the NPT.
5. The Scottish Government could work with reputable non-nuclear weapon states and international NGOs, such as the Middle Powers Initiative to explore how to raise the profile of Scotland's role in fulfilling the UK's obligations and undertakings under Article VI.
6. The Scottish Government could communicate Scotland's policies to NPT States Parties, for example, by writing an open letter to NPT parties and observers, setting out its position, including its firm opposition to nuclear proliferation and the intention of the Scottish Government to apply to join the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state party on achievement of independence; and pending this its determination to work, where appropriate, for early action to promote the full implementation of the NPT, including Article VI.
7. The Scottish Government may wish to consider exploring with the NPT Secretariat whether the rules for future NPT meetings might be reviewed to enable Scotland to be admitted as an observer to the next NPT Review Conference.
Chapter 3: Consider the adequacy of the current licensing and regulatory framework that exists in relation to HM Naval Base Clyde in relation to environmental, planning and transport issues.
The regulation of nuclear sites
1. The Scottish Government should make representations to the HSE and the UK Government requesting that the Faslane Shiplift, RNAD Coulport and NTRE Dounreay should be subject to licensing under the Nuclear Installations Act. The Scottish Government should also seek to have the defence exemptions from the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 reduced or removed entirely.
Further investigation
2. The Scottish Government should carry out further investigations to clarify issues which have a bearing on the regulatory regime and the adequacy of civil contingency arrangements. This should include asking the UK Government and HSE about:
- The areas within Scotland for which a Hazard Identification and Risk Evaluation ( HIRE) report is required under REPPIR for hazards to nuclear-powered and to nuclear-armed submarines while they are moored at a berth, anchored and at sea;
- The application of REPPIR and PIRER to the handling of nuclear weapons within RNAD Coulport and the transport of nuclear weapons by road and sea in Scotland;
- The range of hazards which are considered within the HIRE reports produced for REPPIR and whether these reports adequately assess the likelihood of a damaged submarine berthing following an incident at sea;
- Identifying the nuclear hazards associated with the deployment of nuclear submarines and nuclear weapons in Scotland which are not adequately covered by the HIRE reports produced for REPPIR;
- How thorough and dynamic the risk assessment process is for hazards from nuclear submarines and nuclear weapons in Scotland;
- What benefit the deployment of nuclear weapons brings to the population of Scotland and whether this is sufficient justification for the risks associated with this deployment, including how those risks have changed over the last few decades;
- The MoD is exempt from carrying out a Strategic Environmental Assessment into the impact of their decision to replace the Vanguard class submarine, but the Scottish Government should request that an equivalent exercise is carried out;
- The extent to which terrorist threats to defence-related nuclear activities in Scotland present a greater risk to public health and the environment than the hazards identified in HIRE reports and in the LAESI guidelines.
Inquiry
3 If UK Government's responses to above requests did not adequately address the concerns identified in this report, the Scottish Government should initiate a public inquiry into issues raised in this report which fall within the devolved remit, for instance in areas relating to civil contingencies and road transport of nuclear weapons.
Advice to local authorities
4. The Scottish Government should communicate to local authorities and emergency services appropriate information arising from these investigations about the hazards from nuclear submarines and nuclear weapons and how to respond to these hazards. Local authorities should be given a clearer idea of what information is shared and how.
Chapter 4: Identify good practice elsewhere in the world in developing peace and reconciliation and consider how Scotland might contribute to this work;
1. The Scottish Government should continue to provide leadership to civic society in its efforts to ensure that the costs and realities of maintaining and deploying a nuclear deterrent are fully understood by those who will vote on decisions relating to the future of the UK Government's nuclear weapons programme.
Specifically, the Scottish Government could work with academic institutions and civic society to inaugurate a new series of "Edinburgh Conversations", promoting high-level dialogue about peace, reconciliation and security
2. The Scottish Government could support efforts to gather information and develop Scotland's capacity for peacemaking. For example:
a) The Scottish Government could take forward work to produce a more comprehensive "map" of all those people and organisations in Scotland with experience of engagement in work to promote peace and reconciliation;
b) The Scottish Government could promote efforts to develop Scotland's peacemaking capacity, including by offering support in principle to the civic society initiative to develop the Scotland International institution (described at Appendix 2).
c) The Scottish Government could consider alternative means to promote and extract greater benefit from Scotland's experience of democratic constitutional change.
3. The Scottish Government could seek to position Scotland as an international advocate for nuclear disarmament. An explicit advocacy role would involve a public commitment to promote contacts with states and groups involved in initiatives like the Nuclear Weapons Convention campaign ( ICAN), Global Zero and Mayors for Peace amongst others. Examples of how others might be encouraged to participate include:
a) Encouraging all MSPs to sign up to international campaigns to promote the abolition of nuclear weapons, such as ICAN and Global Zero;
b) Inviting prominent spokespeople from international disarmament movements (such as ICAN) to tour Scotland and to address the Scottish Parliament; the Scottish Government/Parliament could be represented at high-level events such as the Global Zero international conference in Paris in 2010;
c) Facilitating outreach to the Scottish public and elected representatives and disseminating information and appeals by relevant international NGOs promoting security and nuclear disarmament. For example, the International Mayors for Peace, headed by the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, already has a number of members in Scotland and efforts could be undertaken to encourage Council leaders to support and join efforts by the Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Local Authorities and Mayors for Peace.
d) Sending statements on nuclear disarmament issues to media outlets throughout the world to help establish Scotland's profile on the issue.
4.
a) To increase awareness, specifically amongst children and young people, the Scottish Government could encourage local authorities to encompass teaching about peace within the new curriculum;
b) The Scottish Government could commission a wider review of international/peace/disarmament content at the various levels in the education system.
5. The Scottish Government could encourage organisations across Scotland to mark United Nations International Peace Day as a focus for celebrating and raising awareness of peace. Appropriate activities might include:
a) Requesting that the UK Government take Trident out of operational service for the day. There is a precedent for this since NATO ordered a halt to offensive operations on that day in 2008 in Afghanistan.
b) Encouraging schools, universities, local authorities, youth organisations, etc to initiate relevant activities around that date.
c) Having a national cultural event on that day related to peace/international justice issues. The national companies could be involved in this and overseas visitors invited. This could be developed into a widely recognised occasion.
6. The Scottish Government could instigate a 'Global Scotland': International Citizenship programme, to encourage international co-operation and understanding.