Written question asked by Alan Simpson (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 January 1997. It was answered by Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 January 1997 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence;Ships Support Agency

Question: If (a) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and (b) the MoD Nuclear Safety Authority have assessed the proposed design of the new Trident safety facility at Devonport to be safe; and if he will make a statement. - Text of letter from R V Babington of the Ships Support Agency.

Answer: Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if (a) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and (b) the MOD nuclear safety authority have assessed the proposed design of the new Trident safety facility at Devonport to be safe; and if he will make a statement. [12087] Mr. Arbuthnot: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Ships Support Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from R.V. Babington to Mr. A Simpson, dated 23 January 1997: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the safety of the proposed design of the Trident facilities at Devonport, as this project falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency. The Preliminary Safety Report for the Trident Facilities Project (D154) at Devonport was submitted by Devonport Management Limited (DML), the Dockyard operator, to both the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) and the MOD Nuclear Safety Authority in September 1994. The NII and the MOD Nuclear Safety Authority both responded to DML on the Preliminary Safety Report. A number of technical matters were raised in their responses though these included no substantive issues of nuclear safety from either of the Regulatory Authorities.

Secondary information