Office for Civil Nuclear Security

HC Deb 27 June 2002 vol 387 cc987-8W

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) where invitations to prospective applicants for the Advisory Board of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security were placed; how many applications were received; and whether applicants were rejected on security grounds; [63848]

(2) who the members of the Advisory Board for the Office for Civil Nuclear Security are; what their qualifications for the post are; and if there are restrictions in place in respect of who may be appointed to the board. [63847]

Mr. Wilson

The members of the OCNS Advisory Board are Joan MacNaughton, the Director General for Energy and Helen Leiser, the Director of Nuclear Industries, Michael Buckland-Smith, the Director of Civil Nuclear Security, all from the Department, Jim Furness, a Deputy Chief Inspector in the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, a representative from the Security Service, and Pat Upson, Technical Managing Director of Urenco Ltd.

These appointments reflect a range of security policy, regulatory and industry experience. The members from the Security Service, and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive were put forward by their respective organisations, at the Department's invitation. To find a suitable candidate with experience of the nuclear industry, my Department invited the main bodies in the nuclear industry to propose candidates. The five candidates put forward were evaluated and Pat Upson was invited to become a member of the Advisory Board.

All Advisory Board members have appropriate security clearance.