§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee was set up; what is the remit of the committee; if he will list the chairmen of the committee since 1967 indicating the years in which they served; what reports the committee produces; and what is the current security classification of each of the reports. [10404]
§ Dr. ReidThe Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee was established in 1959. Its current terms of reference are to advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, the services and other interested MoD authorities on all safety matters pertaining to nuclear weapons systems, including issues of design, manufacture, transport, storage, handling and operational training.
The present chairman of the committee is Professor Sir John Cadogan CBE FRSE HON FEng FRS; he was appointed in 1992. The previous chairmen, both of whom are deceased, were appointed on the understanding that their names would remain confidential. The production of reports is dependent upon the business of the committee at any given time. The classifications of reports range from restricted to top secret.