§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy for how long the Didcot Pluto reactors at Harwell have been in use; if any United Kingdom reactor has been in use longer; what(a) primary containment or (b) secondary shutdown system exists in these reactors; what assessment he has made of the safety of these reactors and of the possibility of a melt-down accident; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe UKAEA's reactors Dido and Pluto were commissioned in 1956 and 1957 respectively, contemporary with the first United Kingdom commercial power reactors. On the matters raised by the hon. Member relating to the design of the reactors, I have asked the chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to write to him.
The Health and Safety Executive carried out a safety audit of Dido and Pluto in late 1987. This audit considered all aspects of the safety of the reactors and concluded that the two reactors were safe for current operation, but the HSE made a number of recommendations with which the authority would have to comply to provide justification for operation beyond 1989. The AEA have accepted all the recommendations, the timely implementation of which the HSE will continue to monitor closely.
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§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make available to the public the full report of inspections carried out by the nuclear installations inspectorate towards the end of 1987 on the Didcot Pluto reactors at Harwell.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe technical commentaries on plant operation and arrangements which the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate produced in the course of its review were not prepared with a view to future publication. They include information of a commercially sensitive nature which it would not be appropriate to publish. The conclusions and recommendations arising from the audit were published by the HSE in a press notice dated 21 June 1988 a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.