§ Ms PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what risk assessment exercises have been undertaken with other European countries concerning the potential threat to the United Kingdom population from their nuclear installations over the millennium period. [84256]
§ Mr. BattleI have been asked to reply.
The UK has long been aware of the potential risks from nuclear installations over the millennium period and has been co-operating for several years with countries in Europe and beyond, both on a bilateral basis and through the European Union, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), to help ensure that any risks are properly addressed. The 12W UK's nuclear safety regulator—the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII)— keeps in proactive touch with the considerable activity in other countries to address safety issues and continues to follow developments closely.
In the event of any nuclear emergency, the IAEA and the European Union have established and tested international systems for early notification of any overseas nuclear accident. The UK also has bilateral arrangements for the early notification of any nuclear accident with a number of overseas governments. The Government's National Response Plan, co-ordinated by the Development of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, makes arrangements for the UK's response in dealing with any consequences of an overseas nuclear accident. This is supported by the RIMNET national radiation monitoring system, which gives the UK a second independent warning mechanism, should for any reason the early notification system fail.