§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often nuclear submarines are inspected for safety. [137215]
§ Mr. SpellarRoyal Navy nuclear submarines are subject to a rolling programme of planned inspection and maintenance. The periodicity of this work is designed to ensure the safety of the nuclear reactor and the submarine as a whole. For example, certain reactor protection systems are inspected every 24 hours, while some hull and support system components are examined every few months. In addition, there are major overhaul periods, which can take some two years to complete, when further inspections are made.
§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the cracks in the cooling system of HMS Tireless will have on the immediate environment; and if the cracks resulted from a design flaw in the nuclear submarines. [137212]
§ Mr. SpellarSince her arrival in Gibraltar on 19 May, HMS Tireless has undergone routine radiation monitoring and has had no effect on the immediate environment. During her repair, no radioactive contamination of any kind will be released into the environment either within HMS Tireless or externally in Gibraltar. All nuclear waste arising from her repair will have extremely low levels of radioactivity and will be returned to the UK in specially constructed tanks.
At present there is no evidence to suggest that the defect found in some, but not all, hunter-killer submarines, has resulted from a design flaw. It is feasible that the defect could have arisen from the manufacturing process when the submarines were built or have some other origin. The analysis of the evidence collected so far is, as yet, inconclusive.