[en] The background to the safety assessment of the steel reactor pressure vessels for Magnox power stations is reviewed. The evolved philosophy adopted for the 1991 safety cases prepared for the continued operation of four Magnox power stations operated by Nuclear Electric plc is described together with different aspects of the multielement integrity argument. The main revisions to the mechanical property data are addressed together with the assessment methodology adopted and their implications for the overall integrity argument formulated for the continued safe operation of these reactor pressure vessels are discussed. (author)