§ 63. Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in order to assist in the development of nuclear marine propulsion, he will consider installing a British reactor in a naval tanker.
§ Mr. HayI would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on this subject on 9th and 14th April.
§ 64. Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of a British nuclear reactor for operational use in British submarines.
§ Mr. HayBritish made nuclear reactors, of which the prototype is well advanced at the Admiralty Test Establishment, Dounreay, will be fitted in "Valiant", "Warspite" and our Polaris submarines.
The progress made at Dounreay has not been as fast as we would have wished, hut the project has involved much work of a novel nature to standards not hitherto attempted in British industry. There have been delays owing to technical problems to which I referred during the recent debate on the Navy Estimates. Steps have been taken to overcome these problems and the project is now going ahead satisfactorily.