Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to (a) recover and (b) salvage any consignment of radioactive material in the event of the sinking of a vessel carrying radioactive cargo.

Defra are the lead government department in England for the recovery from malicious and civil radiological and nuclear incidents. The preparations and response to these incidents is led by the Home Office and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero respectively.

If a civil vessel carrying a cargo of radioactive or nuclear material sunk in waters controlled by the UK, Defra would consider recovery options. This would involve a risk-based approach using existing contingency plans to consider environmental risks and salvage practicalities. This would include the Flag State of the vessel and owner of the material, who each have legal responsibilities.

If the sunken vessel was owned by the UK military or an ally, recovery and salvage operations would be led by the Ministry of Defence.