§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the faults and cracks detected in nuclear power installations in the last 10 years, the date of the detection, the installation involved and the action taken on each occasion.
§ Mr. Norman LamontIncidents of significance for safety which occur at licensed nuclear installations are reportable, under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, to the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. From 1977 details of these have been included, together with those of minor incidents of lesser significance, in the executive's published Quarterly Statements of Incidents at Nuclear Installations. My answer of 10 July to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas)—[Vol. 998, c.306]—and a note subsequently placed in the Library of the House listed incidents of significance for safety which occurred 143W between 1974 and 1977. Equivalent information for the period prior to 1974 is not readily available, but the incidents reported to the inspectorate under the Nuclear Installations (Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1965, in the period 1970 to 1973 inclusive, were two in number, at Oldbury power station on 6 February 1970 and at Wylfa power station on 27 August 1970. Both involved the release of carbon dioxide—reactor coolant—gas. Neither involved injury to persons.
I also refer the hon. Member to my reply yesterday to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley).