§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the employer was of the quality control official at Sellafield who first detected the falsification of quality control data at the MDF plant at Sellafield. [149632]
§ Mr. HainAs noted in the Health and Safety Executive's report published on 18 February 2000 on the events and issues surrounding the falsification of quality control data at BNFL's MOX Demonstration Facility (MDF), it was a member of BNFL's quality control team at MDF who first identified, and brought to the attention of quality control managers, similarities between successive sets of records for secondary MOX pellet diameters. I understand from BNFL that the individual concerned was, at that time, employed as a contractor to BNFL through the Employment Agency NRL. The individual has subsequently joined BNFL as a permanent member of staff.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons were for the dismissal from BNFL last year of(a) Mr. John Taylor, (b) Mr. Ross Chiese, (c) Mr. David Coulston, (d) Mr. Roger Leek and (e) the non-executive directors; and what compensation terms they received. [149633]
§ Mr. HainI understand that Messrs Taylor, Chiese, Coulston and Leek left the company by mutual agreement following a review of management conducted by the chairman of BNFL designed to ensure greater management focus, transparency and accountability. As part of that review, the chairman announced that he was looking to refresh and strengthen his team of non-executive directors in the light of the different future needs of the company. All six of his then non-executive directors have now left the company.
As members of the BNFL board, payments to John Taylor and Ross Chiese are published in the company's annual report and accounts and are therefore a matter of public record. They received £300,000 and £270,000 compensation respectively for termination of their employment. David Coulston and Roger Leek were employees of the company, but not members of the board. As such, any compensation was entirely a matter between the company and those individuals. The departing non-executive directors were not entitled to compensation for loss of office.
282W
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many BNFL(a) non-management employees, (b) managers, (c) senior managers and (d) directors who were granted voluntary severance terms were subsequently re-employed by BNFL as (i) consultants, (ii) contractors and (iii) employees; [149871]
(2) how much money has been paid by BNFL under its voluntary severance terms in each year that the terms have been available; [149870]
(3) how many BNFL (a) non-management employees, (b) managers, (c) senior managers and (d) directors applied for voluntary severance terms in (i) 1998. (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000; and how many of these applications have been granted. [149873]
§ Mr. HainThese are matters for the company's management. I have asked the chief executive of BNFL to write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.