To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 25 May 2006, Official Report, column 1993W, on nuclear-powered submarines, what the standard operating procedures are for collecting effluent produced by the warming up process from nuclear-powered submarines using (a) Southampton and (b) other X berths; and if he will make a statement. (76215)

There are no X berths at Southampton. At the Southampton Z berth all reactor warm-up effluent is kept onboard the submarine until such time as it can be dealt with in accordance with the standard operating procedures at either HM Naval Base Devonport or HM Naval Base Clyde. These procedures were described in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 25 May 2006, Official Report, column 1992W, and there is nothing further I can usefully add.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates since 1 January 2005 US Navy nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarines have visited UK waters or designated berths; and what the location was in each case. (76289)

US Navy nuclear-powered submarines have visited the following UK designated berths since 1 January 2005:

Plymouth

4-9 May 2005

19-22 October 2005

9-15 November 2005

Faslane

6-16 May 2005

10-17 June 2005

22-29 June 2005

5-12 August 2005

17-19 August 2005

25-29 August 2005

8-11 May 2006

A further visit to Faslane will take place 9-15 June 2006.

During the period there have been no visits to Portsmouth, the Solent anchorages, or to other UK designated berths.

All these visits were by nuclear powered submarines (SSN). There were no visits by nuclear ballistic missile armed submarines (SSBN).