Iodine tablets issued near nuclear submarine berths

[Ambient Sheep]

From Ananova:

Tablets issued near nuclear sub berths

Iodine tablets have been issued to people living near two nuclear submarine berths in Scotland under emergency planning measures, the Government has said.

A berth at Aultbea, Loch Ewe and a second at Broadford Bay are designated as suitable for visits by operational nuclear-powered warships, Defence Minister Adam Ingram said in a Commons written reply to Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, MP for the area's Ross, Skye and Inverness West constituency.

Councils had a responsibility for preparing an off-site emergency plan in the vicinity of such berths, he added in a Commons written answer.

Decisions on the distribution of potassium iodate tablets formed part of this process.

Wester Loch Ewe Community Council in consultation with NHS Highlands and Islands and the Northern Constabulary, with advice from the Defence Ministry, decided the most efficient means of ensuring the tablets were readily available, "in the unlikely event" of a nuclear incident at the berths, was to pre-distribute them, Mr Ingram added.

The tablets have been distributed by the MoD, on behalf of councils, to all properties, private and commercial, within a two kilometre radius of the berths in the last two weeks.

Erm...why now?  Or has this always been standard practice near Faslane, for example?  I'd heard tales about problems with our nuclear sub fleet before (there was a small ad in Private Eye a few years ago when that sub was stranded outside Gilbratar, claiming that the reactor was cracked but that there was a news blackout on it) and this does make one wonder a bit.

[Timmay]

I saw this on the telly news the other day. Apparently they have a large stockpile, and just decided that it would be quicker to distribute the tabs in advance of any potential incident, rather than keep them all in someones shed for years.

I don't think there's any need for conspiracy theories here, before anyone starts. ;)

[king mob]

Its not quite standard procedure from all accounts but i saw this on TV & the islanders being interveiwed & they just accepted it?!

[Ambient Sheep]

I saw this on the telly news the other day. Apparently they have a large stockpile, and just decided that it would be quicker to distribute the tabs in advance of any potential incident, rather than keep them all in someones shed for years.

I quite agree, it makes sense...provided you accept that such an incident is possible.  Ulp.