Sellafield

(asked on 22nd January 2015) - View Source

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 24 February 2014, Official Report, columns 141-2W, on Sellafield, what the evidential basis was for the Government's decision to endorse the decision of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to continue the contract of Nuclear Management Partners into a second five-year period as the best way forward at that time.


Answered by
Matt Hancock Portrait
Matt Hancock
This question was answered on 2nd February 2015

The Government approved the original contract (for a 17 year period, with fixed review points) with Sellafield Ltd under the ownership of Nuclear Management Partners (NMP) in 2008. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for managing that contract. All aspects of the contract review and the decision to extend the contract into the second term were made by the NDA Board in line with its duties and responsibilities under the Energy Act 2004.

The NDA reached its decision to roll the contract forward based on a thorough review of performance in the first period of the contract and consideration of all available options. That showed that whilst mixed, Sellafield was on track to meet 90% of its targets in the first five years of Nuclear Management Partners’ contract and there had been significant improvements in safety.

The Department has oversight of all NDA activity and, given the particular importance of Sellafield, Ministers were kept fully informed of progress. We were satisfied that the NDA’s review was thorough and endorsed the Board’s decision on the basis that at the time it represented the best way forward.

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