§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 1999,Official Report, columns 571–72, on HMS Vengeance, what components were found to be defective; when they were replaced; what effect their failure had on the state of the submarine's reactor; what steps he is taking to enure the safety of similar components on other nuclear powered submarines; and if he will make a statement. [78916]
§ Mr. SpellarTwo of the Main Coolant Pumps of the rector system were found to be defective. Both pumps continued to provide full output, but showed early signs of longer term degradation in performance. They were replaced between 9 February and 17 March this year. There was no effect on the submarine's reactor. To ensure the safety of such equipment on other nuclear submarines, routine equipment monitoring is undertaken as a matter of course. The original pumps from HMS Vengeance will undergo detailed examination to confirm the cause of the defect.