Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he decided to commission the British Nuclear Fuels' audit of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield, which reported in February 1986; and why he decided to commission this report;
(2) when he agreed that the controller R & D establishments research and nuclear programmes should carry out a review of 32 AWRE projects; and why he decided to commission this report.
§ Mr. SainsburyFollowing indications that the estimated total cost of the AWE capital programme was rising and that slippage was forecast, MoD Ministers endorsed a limited independent programme audit by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. (BNFL) in November 1985. The BNFL report was received by my Department on 7 March 1986. In the light of this Ministers subsequently agreed that the controller establishments and research and nuclear programmes should carry out a review of a wider group of 32 AWE capital and works projects. The reasons for the review are given in detail in paragraph 10—appendix 4 to the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the "Control and Management of the Trident Programme" (HC 27).