A bill to speed up the dismantling of redundant nuclear submarines, including vessels at Rosyth, is being introduced through parliament.
Fife SNP MP Douglas Chapman has joined forces with the Labour MP whose constituency covers the Devonport base and Berwick on Tweed Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan on the move.
The trio’s bill will seek to get the ageing subs currently languishing in dockyards around the country defuelled and dismantled more quickly.
The bill will also oblige the Westminster government to produce an annual report on its progress in getting rid of the disused submarines.
The introduction follows a damning National Audit Office report earlier this year into the government’s process on dismantling submarines which were decommissioned decades ago but have been sitting idly in docks like Rosyth.
The Ministry of Defence has not disposed of any of the 20 boats decommissioned since the 1980s.
While all the Rosyth subs have been defuelled, nine of the others still contain nuclear fuel.
Critics said the failure to address the issue risked damaging the UK’s reputation internationally as a responsible nuclear power.
Mr Chapman said: “This bill shouldn’t be needed, but the lack of movement from the UK government means it has become necessary.
“It must now act to put a process in place as soon as possible to get rid of these submarines that are a burden on the UK taxpayer and have been sitting idly in dockyard across the UK, including in Rosyth, in my constituency.
“The UK’s defence budget is being stretched enough as it is without the Ministry of Defence wasting millions on boats it hasn’t used for 30 years.”
He said he was pleased to have cross party support on the issue.
