Nuclear Facilities: Security Checks

HL Deb 22 July 2002 vol 638 c17WA

Lord Fearn

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there is a backlog of security checks at nuclar facilities in the United Kingdom; and if so, what are the reasons. [HL4768]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

The Director for Civil Nuclear Security stated in his recent annual report onThe State of Security in the Civil Nuclear Industry and the Effectiveness of Security Regulation that the programme of compliance inspections was suspended immediately following the September terrorist attacks in the United States to allow the inspectors to concentrate their efforts on advising sites on the implementation of additional security measures. This seemed a better and more targeted use of resources, and the continuing work resulting from events of September 11 mean that a full programme of compliance inspections remain temporarily interrupted. However, site visits have been stepped up, so there has been no reduction in coverage.