HC Deb 20 January 1981 vol 997 cc118-9W
Mr. Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the construction of a pressurised water reactor at HMS "Vulcan".

Mr. Speed

Prototype pressurised water reactors for the Royal Navy have been undergoing development and testing at HMS "Vulcan" since 1966. A new generation of reactor plant, designated PWR2, is now undergoing design and development for future classes of Royal Navy submarines. A prototype reactor assembly will be installed within a new shore test facility on the "Vulcan" site. It is expected that the PWR2 will come into operation in the mid-1980s and have an overall life of 20–25 years. It is intended that the PWR2 will have a number of advantages over its predecessor, both militarily, and in the areas of operability and maintenance. It will, of course, be designed to comply with all the latest safety standards.