HC Deb 26 October 1988 vol 139 c243W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what policy considerations underlie the decision to bring United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority reactors under safety and licensing regulations administered by the nuclear installations Inspectorate under the Nuclear Installations and Health and Safety Acts, respectively., and what implications this decision has for manning levels at the nuclear installations inspectorate.

Mr. Michael Spicer

The UKAEA has been and will continue to be fully subject to the powers which Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors, including the nuclear installations inspectorate (NII), have under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The decision to licence the authority under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 and 1969 reflects the fact that the authority has now operated for over two years as a trading fund; it is appropriate that its nuclear sites should become subject to licensing in the same way as other commercial sites.

Licensing will be administered by the NII; planning of the future resource needs of the NII is already taking into account the work load which licensing will impose.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has ordered any evaluation within his Department of the implications of papers on the Chernobyl accident presented at the British Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in Oxford, held in September, for the safety of nuclear plants in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Michael Spicer

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was represented at senior level at that part of the British Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference to which the hon. Member refers. None of the papers on the Chernobyl accident contained (new) information of significance for nuclear safety in the United Kingdom, beyond that already known to the HSE's nuclear installations inspectorate and the United Kingdom nuclear industry. Any new information that becomes available about the Chernobyl accident continues to be assessed; should any points arise that have implications for the safety of United Kingdom nuclear plant, appropriate action will be taken.