§ Ms WalleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans the Government have to meet its new international obligations under the international nuclear safety convention; and if she will make a statement. [2231]
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§ Mr. BattleThe Convention on Nuclear Safety was ratified by the United Kingdom on 17 January 1996 and entered into force on 24 October 1996. As a contracting party under the Convention, the United Kingdom will be required to produce a national report on how nuclear safety obligations are met in this country. These obligations include establishing a legislative and regulatory framework and ensuring that sufficient numbers of qualified staff are available throughout each nuclear installation's life. Steps must also be taken to ensure that design, construction and operation of civil nuclear power plant are safe, that safety assessments are carried out throughout the life of a nuclear installation and that emergency plans are routinely tested. In view of the stringent safety regime that the Government requires of the industry, we anticipate that the United Kingdom will have no difficulty in meeting these obligations.
National reports will be reviewed and discussed in detail by contracting parties at periodic review meetings, to be held at intervals of not more than three years. The first review meeting will be held at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna in April 1999.