Fukushima Nuclear Site

Charles Hendry Excerpts

Monday 25th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Charles Hendry)]

Today I welcome the findings and recommendations set out in Dr Weightman’s final report on the events at the Fukushima nuclear site and publish the final Government response to this report. I commend Dr Weightman and his team on the depth and quality of their work.

As part of his report Dr Weightman invited Government to report back on the recommendations by June 2012. In December 2011, Government gave their initial response. The Government response published today updates this and sets out the work we have done or intend to do in implementing Dr Weightman’s recommendations. This includes:

Further strengthening our work with international partners on nuclear safety, particularly through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UK has recently joined the IAEA’s global response and assistance network for nuclear emergencies, RANET.

Taking forward work from the nuclear emergency planning liaison group review of the UK’s national nuclear emergency arrangements in the light of the experience of dealing with the prolonged Japanese event—and implementing a new UK national strategic framework for nuclear emergency planning and response.

Ensuring that openness and transparency are enshrined in the work we are taking forward to create the Office of Nuclear Regulation as a statutory body.

Copies of the Government response will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses or can be obtained from the DECC website.