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Chamber and committees

Condemning Radioactive Contamination on Scottish Shores

  • Submitted by: Bill Kidd, Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party.
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2025
  • Motion reference: S6M-18525

That the Parliament condemns the UK Government after radioactive contamination was reportedly found in Loch Long; acknowledges recent reports of radioactive leaks from the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) Coulport, which it considers to be a direct consequence of decades of a nuclear weapons policy which is forced on Scotland by the UK Government; further acknowledges reports that highlight serious issues at the base, attributed to burst pipes and significant shortfalls in maintenance within the base's infrastructure; considers that the reports of repeated incidents and maintenance failures are deeply alarming; understands that emissions of tritium into the air from Coulport have reportedly doubled between 2018 and 2023; believes that the continued occurrence of such incidents raises serious questions about the long-term environmental impact on Loch Long and the surrounding ecosystem; considers that Loch Long is a vital natural resource, and that the thought of it being exposed to unnecessary radioactive waste is profoundly troubling; calls for a comprehensive and independent investigation, in the form of a fully transparent and independent inquiry, into the root causes of these reported recurring leaks, the state of infrastructure at Coulport, and the effectiveness of current oversight mechanisms; further calls for swift and verifiable remedial action, including a clear timeline and commitment to upgrading the ageing infrastructure at Coulport to prevent any future radioactive discharges, along with regular, public updates on progress; calls for enhanced transparency and communication, with greater openness from the Ministry of Defence regarding any incidents, including immediate and detailed public disclosure of all radioactive discharges and their potential impacts, as well as strengthened regulatory oversight and a review of the current regulatory framework for military nuclear facilities to ensure that they are subject to the same stringent environmental controls and accountability as civilian nuclear sites, and believes that the local community deserves to live without concerns of any radioactive contamination from nearby military operations.


Supported by: Clare Adamson