Civil Nuclear Constabulary

Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the regulatory regime for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

Mr. Kidney
The Civil Nuclear Constabulary forms a key part of the security arrangements for the UK's civil nuclear industry which are required to be in place under the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 as amended, by the independent security regulator, the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS).

Governance of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary is carried out by the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, a non-departmental public body for which the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is responsible.

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary is inspected and supported by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is responsible to Parliament for security in the civil nuclear industry and reviews from time to time the overall arrangements to ensure these are robust and appropriate.