§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an inquiry into the management of the contract to construct the A90 plant at Aldermaston by his Department and the Property Services Agency.
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§ Mr. NeubertNo.
§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the work to replace defective plutonium ductwork and supports in the A90 plant room area—Aldermaston commenced and finished.
§ Mr. NeubertThe replacement of the zone 1 ductwork in A90 commenced in September 1989 and was completed in April 1990.
§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there was any wrongful substitution of materials in the construction and completion of the contract for the A90 building at Aldermaston.
§ Mr. NeubertInvestigation by both the PSA's central inquiry unit and the Ministry of Defence police found no evidence of the wrongful substitution of materials under the A90 mechanical and electrical contract at AWE Aldermaston. The outcome of these investigations was reported to the House of Commons Defence Committee in March 1990.
§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department's police have submitted to him the results of their investigations into the malpractices that were alleged to have taken place during the construction of the A90 plant at Aldermaston.
§ Mr. NeubertYes.
§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the plutonium ductwork initially installed in zone 1 of the Aldermaston A90 plant conformed to atomic energy standard specification 6008;
(2) for what reasons the £5 million replacement of zone 1 plutonium ductwork in the A90 plant room area Aldermaston was required.
§ Mr. NeubertI refer the hon. Member to House of Commons Defence Committee's Fifth Report on "The Progress of the Trident Programme" (HC374), and in particular to memorandum No. 5 included therewith, giving full details of the reasons for replacement of the zone 1 ventilation ductwork in the A90 building.