Office for Nuclear Regulation
An agency of HSE

Our legal framework and our relationship with other Government departments and regulators

International conventions

The following reports have been prepared by the United Kingdom (UK) to meet the requirement of Article 5 of the Convention on Nuclear Safety. They consider each of the Convention's obligations and explain how the UK addresses them. The reports only cover land based civil nuclear power plant as defined in Article 2 of the Convention.

The objectives of this Convention are:

  1. to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety worldwide through the enhancement of national measures and international co-operation including, where appropriate, safety-related technical co-operation;
  2. to establish and maintain effective defences in nuclear installations against potential radiological hazards in order to protect individuals, society and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation from such installations;
  3. to prevent accidents with radiological consequences and to mitigate such consequences should they occur.

2011 meeting

2008 meeting

2005 meeting

2002 meeting

1999 meeting

International Convention on Nuclear Safety

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Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the first legal instrument to directly address these issues on a global scale. The Convention requires contracting parties to submit national reports and to attend periodic review meetings, reports of these meetings are listed below.

The objectives of the Joint Convention are:

  1. to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management, through the enhancement of national measures and international co-operation, including where appropriate, safety-related technical co-operation;
  2. to ensure that during all stages of spent fuel and radioactive waste management there are effective defences against potential hazards so that individuals, society and the environment are protected from harmful effects of ionizing radiation, now and in the future, in such a way that the needs and aspirations of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs and aspirations;
  3. to prevent accidents with radiological consequences and to mitigate their consequences should they occur during any stage of spent fuel or radioactive waste management.

Text of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

2009 meeting

2006 meeting

2003 meeting

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Relationships with OGDs and Regulators

Environment Agency

HSE and EA have recently produced a high-level Statement of Intent, signed by both the Director General, HSE and the Chief Executive, EA, on 8 August 2001. This provides an explanation of the HSE and EA responsibilities for nuclear safety and environmental regulation on and around nuclear licensed sites and the ways in which the two regulators carry out their regulatory activities. It also lists areas of joint regulatory interest and the ways in which HSE and EA interact on that work.

Subsequently HSE and EA have produced a joint report called "Working Together" on work they have done to follow up the statement of intent.

Memorandums of Understanding between HSE and EA/SEPA

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Internal framework

  • Site Licence Condition
    This is a copy of the standard set of conditions that HSE attaches to all UK Nuclear Site Licences. Compliance with the conditions, and any arrangements made pursuant to the conditions, is a legal requirement under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended)."

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Updated 18.10.11