To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent staff the Defence Nuclear Weapons Regulator has on its establishment; how many of these are inspectors; and how many posts on the Regulator's establishment are vacant. (305608)

The Nuclear Weapon Regulator (NWR) is an officer within the broader Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR), which regulates both the nuclear weapons and nuclear propulsion programmes.

DNSR has 23 full-time equivalent staff; 16 of these are inspectors. Of these 23 staff, 10 report to NWR and, of these 10, six are inspectors. One inspector post (managed by NWR) is currently vacant on a short-term basis pending the arrival of the nominated individual. There are no other DNSR vacancies.

Some members of DNSR support both activities, so the number of people that NWR manages is not the same as the number of people involved in regulating the nuclear weapons programme.