DUNFERMLINE'S MP has hit out at further delays to a project to dismantle decaying nuclear submarines in Rosyth.

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman branded the programme a "taxpayers' nightmare" when raising the subject in Parliament.

A total of seven decommissioned submarines are due to be dismantled in West Fife and work on the first one started back in 2016 but the programme has been delayed repeatedly.

Mr Chapman called for answers from the minister for defence procurement, Jeremy Quinn, last week.

“Any delay in the submarine dismantling programme is of grave concern to my Dunfermline and West Fife constituency, where we accommodate many of these redundant submarines," he told him.

“Can the minister confirm whether the Government’s commitment to endorse the recommendations of the public accounts committee in 2019 still holds?

“Or will his department continue to move the goalposts to guarantee that the removal of these boats will remain a taxpayers’ nightmare forever?”

In 2019, the public accounts committee said the UK Government’s “continued failure” to progress submarine disposal was “unacceptable” and called for a significant amount of work to be completed over the next decade.

“For years, I’ve been calling for some real progress to be made in getting these subs scrapped and out of my constituency," added Mr Chapman.

“To hear there have been further delays is a kick in the teeth to the Rosyth community. Rest assured, I’ll continue to keep up the pressure on the Government to get a move on with this so Rosyth can be rid of these decrepit subs once and for all.”

Responding to Mr Chapman, Mr Quinn said ministers were having "regular discussions" with the Submarine Delivery Agency on the progress of the dismantling project.

"We remain committed to continuing to decommission these boats in a safe and swift way," he said. "There were some small delays due to COVID but they were minimal and we are continuing with the programme and are committed to continuing to do so."