§ Sir Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received the Property Services Agency report on the management of the A90 project at atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston.
§ Mr. NeubertYes. The report has been submitted to both the Ministry of Defence and the Department of the Environment. Investigations by both the PSA's central inquiry unit and the MOD police found no evidence of wrongful substitution of materials, fraudulent activity or financial loss to the Government under the A90 mechanical and electrical contract at AWE Aldermaston. The outcome of these investigations was reported to the House of Commons Defence Committee in March 1990 in a memorandum submitted by the PSA.
§ Sir Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if progress with the construction and commissioning of the A90 plant at atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston is within its scheduled programme; and whether any special difficulties are being experienced with the ducting to remove radioactive gases from the plutonium processor.
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§ Mr. NeubertThe overall A90 programme remains within the scheduled time scale to achieve the Trident warhead production programme. The replacement of the zone 1 ductwork in A90 by a pipework system was completed in April 1990 and full leak testing has been carried out successfully. No special difficulties with the replacement pipework system have been encountered. Memorandum No. 5 in the House of Commons Defence Committee's fifth report on the progress of the Trident programme (HC374) gives full details of the reasons for the replacement of the zone 1 ventilation ductwork.