HC Deb 25 January 2000 vol 343 cc195-6W
Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when BNFL first informed the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of a problem with MOX fuel that had been dispatched to Japan. [105723]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 20 January 2000]: I understand that the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NH) was first notified by BNFL on 10 September 1999 of a problem concerning the possible falsification of quality assurance data for MOX fuel manufactured at the MOX Demonstration Facility. I understand BNFL told NII they were investigating the possibility that the problem affected both fuel still in the plant and already dispatched to Japan.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department was first informed of a quality control problem at the BNFL MOX Demonstration Facility involving Japanese fuel. [105724]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 20 January 2000]: My Department was first notified by BNFL on 10 September 1999 of a problem concerning falsification of quality assurance data for MOX fuel manufactured at the MOX Demonstration Facility.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the supply of MOX fuel by BNFL to Switzerland and Japan. [105725]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 20 January 2000]: BNFL will continue to pursue Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel business in overseas markets. In Japan, in particular, the company is making major efforts to rebuild confidence.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when BNFL first informed the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of a problem with MOX fuel that had been supplied to a Swiss utility; [105721]

(2) when his Department were first informed of a problem with MOX fuel supplied by BNFL to a Swiss utility; [105722]

(3) by what methods the damaged MOX fuel supplied by BNFL to a Swiss utility was returned to the UK for examination; when the fuel was returned; and if he will place copies of the assessments made in the Library; [105727]

(4) what action was taken by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate regarding the problem with BNFL MOX fuel supplied to a Swiss utility. [105726]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 20 January 2000]: A batch of 12 MOX fuel assemblies each containing 179 individual fuel pins supplied by BNFL were delivered to NOK's Beznau 1 reactor in November 1995. During a routine shutdown of the reactor in September 1997, it was confirmed that fuel pins in three of these assemblies had failed. The suspect fuel pins were removed from the affected assemblies and returned to BNFL by road and sea in March 1998 using the approved nuclear materials transport flasks which are routinely used in the transport of irradiated nuclear fuel. Post irradiation examination was undertaken by BNFL and the results provided to NOK. The assessments made on the fuel pins in question contain commercially confidential data which are a matter for BNFL and NOK. The matter is referred to in the annual reports for 1997 and 1998 published by the Swiss nuclear safety regulator, HSK. I have asked the Company Secretary of BNFL to write to my hon. Friend enclosing copies of the relevant extracts from those reports. A copy of that letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

I understand that, as this is a matter for the Swiss nuclear safety regulator rather than the UK's nuclear safety regulator, the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, BNFL did not inform the NH about it.

My Department first became aware of a problem concerning MOX supplied by BNFL to the Swiss utility NOK on 14 September 1999.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement on the case of BNFL staff who have been dismissed in connection with allegations of falsifying quality control data for MOX fuel; [105832]

(2) if BNFL plans further disciplinary measures against members of their staff following the falsification of MOX fuel quality control data. [105831]

Mrs. Liddell:

[holding answers 20 January 2000]: These are matters for BNFL's management. To date, three workers have been dismissed, and further disciplinary actions have been taken, or are in train, against a number of individuals.