Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which body is now responsible for nuclear weapons safety, in place of the Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee and the Warhead Safety Co-ordinating Committee.

Ultimate responsibility for nuclear weapon safety lies with the Secretary of State for Defence. Specific individuals are authorised as responsible for nuclear weapon safety for each life-cycle of the weapon: development and assembly; transport; naval base support; and deployment at sea. These individuals operate under regulation by the two nuclear safety regulators; the independent Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator and the statutory regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation. In addition, the Secretary of State receives independent advice on overall nuclear safety issues, including on nuclear weapons, from the Defence Nuclear Safety Committee, an advisory non-departmental public body.