asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to complete its investigations into the pressure tube reactor.

Generic safety aspects of the pressure tube reactor—SGHWR—are being studied by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. The next step towards establishing the safety of the commercial design of SGHWR will be the issue of the first licence. The inspectorate has not yet received all the information it requires from the generating boards to enable it to reach a position where the issue of a licence might be recommended.