HC Deb 29 January 1969 vol 776 cc343-4W
Rear-Admiral Morgan Giles

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the performance of the Chilbolton radio telescope; what repairs to this telescope are needed; what is the estimated cost to public funds; and whether he will make a statement.

Transport before being brought into public use.

Mr. Goodhew

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will publish details of accidents involving adults and children, respectively, on escalators in London Transport stations in each of the last five years.

Mr. Marsh

The available information is as follows:

Mrs. Shirley Williams

The steerable dish at Chilbolton was provided primarily for research into radio wave propagation by the Radio and Space Research Station of the Science Research Council, and not as a telescope for radio astronomy.

In June, 1967, before the proving trials had been completed, it developed a fault in the main azimuth bearing. This bearing had to be replaced and the dish was out of action, except for limited operations involving only movement in elevation, until July, 1968. Proving trials were later resumed and are going satisfactorily.

There is no charge to public funds because the fault occurred during the guarantee period.