§ 68. Mr. Steeleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will make a statement on the progress 46W being made on the research and development of nuclear propulsion for ships.
§ Mr. AllanAs I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South on 4th November, a contract for the purchase of American nuclear submarine machinery is currently under negotiation. At the same time good progress is being made with the limited amount of hull redesign which would be necessary to accommodate this machinery in H.M.S. "Dreadnought". As regards reactor systems for merchant shipping, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stockton-on-Tees by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1st May.