To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has made to the assessment of British Energy that the reactors closed at (a) Hunterston B and (b) Hinkley Point B will be safe to operate by the end of January 2007. (107610)

[holding answer 4 December 2006]: British Energy have put in safety submissions for the restart of reactor 3 at Hunterston B. NII is currently assessing these. NII will not allow restart of reactor 3 until a satisfactory safety case for further operation has been made.

British Energy will need to apply to NII for the restart of reactor 3 at Hinkley Point B following its current periodic outage. If NII is not satisfied with the safety case for return to service of reactor 4 at Hinkley Point B, or reactor 4 at Hunterston B, it would use its regulatory powers. NII will not allow restart of these reactors until a satisfactory safety case for further operation has been made.