HC Deb 13 March 2003 vol 401 cc360-1W
Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library a copy of the British Energy restructuring plan at the same time as it is submitted to the European Commission under state aid rules. [101996]

Mr. Wilson

No. The submission to the European Commission of the restructuring plan relating to British Energy, which was made on 7 March, contains commercially sensitive information. As such, it is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 13—Third Party Commercial Confidences of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr. Maples

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the(a) safety and (b) operational performance of British Energy, following the report of the World Association of Nuclear Operators. [102164]

Mr. Wilson

I understand the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) review was requested by British Energy, and like all such reviews is confidential between the company and WANO. The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations' Inspectorate (HSE/NII) welcomes and supports any critical self-examination of health and safety performance by nuclear licensees. The HSE/NII respect the fact that these WANO peer assessments are confidential, although I understand British Energy have briefed the HSE/NII on the main recommendations of the report. The HSE/NII would expect to be informed of any initiatives of relevance to the safe operation of its sites being taken in response to the WANO recommendations.

Forward to