The Ministry of Defence has released new data on nuclear safety at His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde after a series of written questions from Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, covering recent Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) and the environmental impact of incidents at Coulport and Loch Long.
Responding on 20 October 2025, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said he could not disclose specific information about individual incidents, “as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces.”
He added that “none of the events listed caused harm to the health of any member of staff or to any member of the public and none have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment.”
According to the Ministry of Defence, the number of NSERs at Coulport for the most recent financial year is as follows.
Nuclear Site Events – 2024 (22 April 2024 – 31 December 2024)
| Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 1 |
Nuclear Site Events – 2025 (01 January 2025 – 22 April 2025)
| Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
Pollard said these reports form part of “a well-established system for raising NSERs,” intended to “foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is of equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcomings or near-misses.”
In a separate answer, Pollard addressed reports of radioactive water leaks at Loch Long, stating that “there has been no unsafe radioactive material released into the environment of Loch Long at any stage.” He added that the Royal Navy “frequently engages with regulators who report there is no significant impact on the environment or public health.”
Pollard confirmed that “HMNB Clyde complies with international best practice as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” and that nuclear safety at the site is “independently overseen by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).”
He said these oversight mechanisms “ensure that nuclear safety is treated with the seriousness that it requires.” HMNB Clyde remains the UK’s primary base for the nuclear deterrent, hosting the Vanguard-class submarines and future Dreadnought fleet.
Seems fine to me.
T’was a cracking Fete this year at Garelochead, you should have seen the size of the Marrows. Even the Judge was Impressed when he had to use all three hands to weigh it.