Fukushima (Interim Report)

Tuesday 21st June 2011 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Chris Huhne)]

I have today responded to the three recommendations for Government contained in the chief nuclear inspector’s interim report on events at the Fukushima nuclear site in Japan.

I welcome the findings and recommendations in Dr Weightman’s interim report and commend him and his team for the important work that they have undertaken so far in pulling together information and lessons from the events in Japan.

In the response the Government undertake to:

continue to work with international partners in the G8, G20 and IAEA to ensure that information is shared in a timely and open manner in the event of any future global nuclear event;

carry out a review of the Japanese response to the events at Fukushima and identify any lessons for UK emergency planning by the end of 2011; and

review the UK’s own national nuclear emergency arrangements to ensure that they are as robust as possible and can deal effectively with prolonged nuclear incidents, and update guidance before the chief nuclear inspector’s final report.

Copies of the Government’s response have been placed in Libraries of both Houses.