Faslane and Coulport - Poor maintenance and Radioactive Waste
Posted: 4th July 2025
Information kept secret for years on radioactive problems at the Clyde nuclear bomb bases is to be released to the public, after Scotland’s freedom of information watchdog said it threatens “reputations” not national security. The Scottish Information Commissioner, David Hamilton, has ordered the government’s Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) to release files it has been withholding about “poor maintenance” and radioactive waste since 2016 at the Faslane and Coulport naval bases near Helensburgh. His decision is the result of a six-year freedom of information (FoI) battle by The Ferret, involving four FoI requests, opposition from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and two formal appeals. Sepa has until 28 July 2025 to comply, or appeal. Hamilton ruled that Sepa had breached FoI law by wrongly claiming that releasing the files would endanger defence, national security or public safety. He also dismissed Sepa’s argument that disclosure would prejudice criminal or disciplinary action, pointing out there was “no possibility” of such action because the MoD was exempt from environmental rules. Campaigners welcomed the ruling, with one former Sepa chief executive accusing Sepa and the MoD of “covering up their failures”. Governments were “dishonest” about the real risks of nuclear weapons, others claimed.