§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, by region, how many inspectors there are in the nuclear installations inspectorate; what is the required manning establishment; how many are in post; and if he will make a statement as to what their terms of reference are.
§ Mr. ForthThe principal aim of HSE's nuclear installations inspectorate (NII) is to ensure a safe operating regime for civil nuclear installations through programmes of inspection of licensed sites, assessing safety cases provided by licensees, and seeing that appropriate safety standards are developed and maintained by licensees.
The NII is not regionally structured, 'but based in HSE's Bootle and London headquarters. On 1 October 1990, 160 inspectors were in post in the inspectorate, an increase of some 60 per cent. since 1987. Current plans are to recruit to a level of 172 inspectors.