§ Brigadier Clarkeasked the Minister of Transport why he does not take advantage of British nuclear marine reactor systems already available in this country to expedite the building of the first British commercial nuclear ship.
§ Mr. MarplesI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave to his Question on 20th December on the same subject.
There is no reactor system at present available in this country which has any prospect of becoming economically attractive for marine propulsion. That is why research is being concentrated on 283W two other systems, the integral boiling reactor and vulcain.
§ Commander Courtneyasked the Minister of Transport to what extent the design of a prototype nuclear-powered merchant ship will be affected by the choice of either the Vulcain or the integral boiling type of reactor, assuming equivalent shaft horsepower for each.
§ Mr. MarplesThe design of the ship would not be significantly affected whichever was chosen.
§ Commander Courtneyasked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the importance of nuclear propulsion to the future of British shipping and shipbuilding and of the transfer of Sir James Dunnett to the Ministry of Labour, he will ensure that the new chairman of the committee on marine nuclear propulsion is a man of equivalent marine experience and technical background.
§ Mr. MarplesThe chairman of the Working Group on Marine Reactor Research is the Permanent Secretary to my Ministry, and Sir Thomas Padmore has succeeded Sir James Dunnett in this appointment. Most of the members of the Working Group are experts in their particular fields.