§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information, advice and recommendations have been made by AEA Safety and Reliability and AEA Technology concerning the danger of reactor cracks and other faults in nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonAs I told the House previously,Official Report, 5 December 1990, columns 157–58, our nuclear submarines operate in accordance with rigorous 266W safety standards and with the endorsement of the nuclear-powered warship safety committee (NPWSC), which provides the Ministry of Defence with independent expert advice on the construction, operation and maintenance of these vessels. The Department also receives advice from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (AEA); the NPWSC, of which the United Kingdom AEA is an associate member, has access to this advice. It is not our practice to reveal details of the advice provided.