HC Deb 02 February 1995 vol 253 cc757-8W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) which advanced gas-cooled reactors owned by Nuclear Electric are affected by the cracking of welds in steam headers; which Scottish reactors are affected by the same problem; and what changes have been made in their position on privatisation following these problems;

(2) what considerations his Department is giving within the nuclear review to generic cracking faults in welds on steam leaders of advanced gas-cooled reactors.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton on 19 January 1995,Official Report, column 589, explained that cracks had been identified in some of the steam header welds at Heysham 1 and Dungeness B advanced gas-cooled reactor power stations. The power stations owned and operated by Scottish Nuclear Ltd. are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland but I understand that no such cracks have been identified in any Scottish nuclear power station. The matter of the cracks does not fall within the scope of the terms of reference of the nuclear review.