Trade unions express 'serious disquiet' over lack of information on future of Vulcan

CAITHNESS trade unionists have expressed their "serious, serious disquiet" over the lack of information from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about the future of the Vulcan nuclear submarine test site at Dounreay.

The Thurso and Wick Trade Union Council added its voice to the concern about the refusal of the MoD to outline the options for the site. Dounreay Stakeholder Group (DSG) last month said it is "outrageous" the defence department is keeping the public in the dark.

Davie Alexander, who is the chairman of the local trades council, is unhappy with the attitude shown by the MoD.

"There is serious, serious disquiet that we are not getting the information about what they are wanting to do with the site. The DSG is taking steps to try and sort this," he said at Thursday night's meeting.

Mr Alexander said the public had been waiting for over two years to discover what the options are for the facility which tested nuclear submarine reactors for the Royal Navy since the 1950s. The test programme has been closed but it is still unclear what is to happen to the site.

He said the unions at Vulcan must have been told something about the future plans. "It may be they are not allowed to comment but it would be good to get an idea of how they feel about the situation," Mr Alexander added.

As reported in the John O'Groat Journal in March, DSG chairman Roger Saxon said: "I am extremely disappointed at this turn of affairs. It is not rocket science to come up with a set of options. We have been waiting for an update for two years and may have to take this forward in a different way."

Former Highland councillor Gillian Coghill was "totally disappointed" by the delays in getting answers about Vulcan, while David Flear, a former DSG chairman, said members had been trying to get answers for years and "getting nowhere."

DSG member Ronnie Johnstone, a retired Caithness minister, said it was "outrageous" the MoD had failed to let the public know its plans for over two years. He claimed the "appropriate people" should be asked to give "a reasonable explanation" regarding the future of Vulcan.

Tor Justad, the chairman of the Highlands Against Nuclear Transport, accused the defence department of being "the most secretive organisation you could meet" and said its track record on consultations is "extremely poor."

The MoD has stressed it will "continue to be open on site issues, subject only to the very real and necessary constraints of national security".

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