§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the planned nuclear decommissioning authority will be given powers to renegotiate existing reprocessing contracts with British Energy when it takes over the ownership and management of the THORP reprocessing plant at Sellafield. [135626]
§ Mr. TimmsLegislation will be brought forward to establish the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as soon as parliamentary time permits. We intend that the N DA will come into effect in April 2005.
The NDA will take responsibility for those liabilities and assets currently owned and managed by BNFL at the THORP reprocessing plant. As the required legislation has not yet been introduced, it would be wrong to comment on what role the NDA might have in respect of contracts between BNFL and British Energy.
In her statement to the House on 28 November 2002, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made clear that the Government would need to contribute significantly to British Energy's historic nuclear fuel liabilities that are managed by
744WBNFL in order for the restructuring of British Energy to work. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry also said she will look at how these contracts are managed as part of the creation of the NDA.