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Nuclear Power Stations: Terrorism

Volume 469: debated on Tuesday 11 December 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether there will be enhanced specifications for any new nuclear power stations to strengthen resistance against the possibility of terrorist attacks; and if he will make a statement. (171125)

The Government set out their preliminary view on the future of nuclear power in the consultation document, published on 23 May. In the consultation document the Government recognise that although nuclear power stations pose some unavoidable terrorism risks, the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS), the security regulator, is satisfied that the existing security regime is robust and effective and that allowing new nuclear power stations to be built would be unlikely to materially increase the risks to the UK, because any proposals for new nuclear power stations would only be permitted to proceed if they met the stringent regulatory requirements in full, based on the most up-to-date threat assessments. For any new nuclear power stations, the OCNS would be involved in the generic design assessment stage with a view to security being built into the design, rather than retrofitted.

The consultation ended on 10 October and the Government are currently carefully considering the responses received before they make the decision in the new year.