HC Deb 25 April 1991 vol 189 c501W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, following the recent support expressed for small nuclear power plants by Crown Prince Tupouto' A of Tonga, he will make it his policy to contact the Government of Tonga to assess what export opportunities exist for the United Kingdom nuclear industry to the South Pacific nation.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

It is Government policy to support British companies in pursuing suitable export opportunities. The staff of the high commission in Tonga keep a close watch on opportunities for United Kingdom businesses. Where appropriate, they will notify exporters of such opportunities. The high commission has noted the Prince's remarks on nuclear power, which were carried in a local magazine, and we await further developments with interest.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in theOfficial Report all nuclear incidents in civil nuclear facilities reported to him by (a) the nuclear installations inspectorate and (b) the nuclear operators over the past five years; and what has been the average time lapse between the occurence of a reportable incident and its reportage to his Department over the same period.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my predecessor, the hon. Memer for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Mr. Stewart), concerning the revised criteria for the reporting of nuclear incidents at civil nuclear installations, in which he statedAll such reports are published quarterly by the Health and Safety Executive", and that for all occurrences including more minor occurrences which are not formally reportable under the criteria nuclear operators will publish details … in weekly or fortnightly site newsletters'.—[Official Report, 30 April 1987; Vol. 115, c. 203–4.] Copies of these reports and individual site newsletters have since this time been made available to the Library of the House.

Following this statement, operators were instructed that all incidents covered by the formal reporting criteria should be reported as soon as practicable, but anyway within 24 hours to this and other interested Departments and the relevant regulatory bodies. I am not aware of any incident which was defined as reportable where the operator has failed to meet this requirement.