§ LORD MACPHERSON OF DRUMOCIITERMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the declared intention of the United States of America to construct atomic-powered merchant ships and tankers and, in view of the possibility of such vessels calling at British ports and of the potential dangers involved, whether they are in a position to make any statement in regard to the safeguards that will require to be applied.]
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, my noble friend has asked mc to reply. It will probably be some years before merchant vessels propelled by atomic energy are in operation. I can assure the noble Lord that Her Majesty's Government are keeping in close touch with developments and that they are fully alive to the necessity of considering, when the time is ripe, whether any special safety regulations, or other measures, will need to be introduced as regards entry into British ports.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether there is not a 535 certain amount of waste from any atomically-propelled ship or device, and is not this waste radioactive? If it is, how is it proposed to dispose of the waste when the ship is in harbour or at sea? Is this not a case where there should be international regulations governing the whole matter?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, we shall be in close touch with the Americans on this question of how they propose to dispose of waste in such ships as they build. It would seem that it is necessary to have some international code covering this new invention.
§ LORD MACPHERSON OF DRUMOCHTERMy Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for his Answer, may I say, with your Lordships' permission, that since I put down my Question it has been reported in the Press that British shipping interests are planning to build atomic-engined ships which will be in commission within three years from now? May I ask the noble Earl if he could inform us whether any fracture of an atomic engine casing or rupture of the shieldings used with such engines, say, as a result of a collision, would result in the release of radioactivity, which would be highly dangerous to life, especially in populous areas like the Thames and the Mersey?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, we all hope that we are going to have ships propelled by atomic power as soon as possible. The Atomic Energy Authority are studying the technical aspects of the problem, of which there are a great many—some of them have been mentioned by the noble Lord opposite. I can only say that the Government are watching this carefully so that they will be able to act in time to prevent any of the damage that is anticipated by the noble Lord.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, is it not the fact that we have reached that stage of progress in naval investigation in which atomic apparatus is almost ready, if not ready, to be put into submarines for trial? We should therefore be having some immediate experiments available tom which to obtain knowledge. I was rather disappointed at one phrase in the noble Earl's reply. He said: "when 536 the time is ripe." I should have thought that the time is ripe now for the fullest investigation of all these problems. I gathered from his supplementary answer that certain investigations are going on, and I hope that no delay will take place in investigating the whole question, both by research and by pursuing the suggestion of the noble Earl, Lord Howe, for the development of international regulations.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, in regard to matters on the naval side, on which I am not informed, perhaps noble Lords interested would consider putting down Questions to the noble Earl the First Lord of the Admiralty, which he would be in a position to answer. But, in general, I am right in saying that we are alive to these problems, which must be dealt with if ever atomic ships are going to be able to sail the seas.