Private firms win Trident support deal

30 July 2012

Private firms are to take over some support functions at the UK's nuclear weapons facilities in Scotland under a 15-year contract worth some £148m, it has been announced.

The ABL Alliance, which consists of AWE plc, Babcock and Lockheed Martin UK Strategic Systems, will carry out support work at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) Coulport and Strategic Weapon Support Building (SWSB) Faslane, both part of HM Naval Base Clyde.

Some 149 MoD civilian jobs, including warehousing, logistics, supervisory and managerial roles, will transfer to the ABL alliance under the deal , while a further 39 Royal Navy personnel will be seconded.

The MoD decided to privatise some of the functions at the base in May 2011 and the new contract will see AWE plc as prime contractor with the other firms as 'strategic subcontractors'.

An MoD statement said: "HM Naval Base Clyde has an excellent safety record and we are determined to maintain the highest standards of safety.

"The MoD will continue to own the Naval Base sites, including Coulport, and Naval Base Commander Clyde will retain overall responsibility for security and for the activities carried out at Coulport and the SWSB.

"The site will also continue to be a MoD nuclear authorised site, so will be subject to regulation by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator, the Office of Nuclear Regulation and other regulatory bodies."

The new arrangement is scheduled to start in January 2013.