§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what response the nuclear installations inspectorate has made to the representations from the British Computer Society regarding the computer safety system planned for Sizewell B; and what assessment he has made of the delay and the cost involved in implementing them.
§ Mr. EggarI understand that the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate—Nil—received a copy of the British Computer Society's—BCS—open letter which put forward suggestions for reassuring the society about the safety of the computerised primary protection system—PPS—for Sizewell B. The NII replied to BCS noting the points made. In the NII's view, none of these raise safety issues that are not already being addressed by the Nil in its ongoing assessment of NE's safety case of the PPS.
Nuclear Electric has carefully considered the BCS open letter but have not identified any points which might undermine their safety case for the PPS. The company do not believe that any changes to the PPS are required and consequently do not foresee any delay leading to extra costs being incurred.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what shareholding Nuclear Electric holds in the European fast reactor consortium, SKB; and what effect Her Majesty's Government's recent decision to discontinue involvement in collaborative European breeder reactor research will have on the future of this shareholding.
§ Mr. EggarNuclear Electric plc has a shareholding of 1.65 per cent. in SBK consortium. The future of this shareholding is a commercial matter for the company.