HSC consults on proposed criteria for delicensing nuclear sites

HSC press release: - C018:04 - 05 May 2004

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is seeking comments on a proposed policy statement which sets out the criteria for delicensing parts of, or entire sites licensed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (the NI Act).

From time to time HSE receives requests to delicense parts of, or even entire sites. The NI Act requires that before allowing all or part of a site to be delicensed, HSE must be satisfied that "there has ceased to be any danger from ionising radiations from anything on the site or, as the case may be, on that part thereof."

As more of the UK's nuclear installations close down, HSE expects to receive an increasing number of requests for partial or complete delicensing of sites. With this in mind, HSE considers that publishing a policy statement setting out its criteria for delicensing and interpretation of "no danger" is timely, and will help provide greater transparency to the regulatory decision-making process.

HSE has already discussed these proposals with key stakeholders during the process of drafting the policy statement and believes there is broad acceptance of them.

The draft policy statement, 'HSE criteria for delicensing nuclear sites', can be accessed on HSE's website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/live.htm

Notes to editors

1. In the UK, the legislation governing the licensing (and delicensing) of nuclear sites is the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended. The Act is enforced by HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

2. Sections 3(6) and 5(3) of the Act require that before allowing all or part of a site to be delicensed, HSE must be satisfied that "there has ceased to be any danger from ionising radiations from anything on the site or, as the case may be, on that part thereof".

3. Several sites (and part sites) have already been delicensed over the last 30 years, but always on a case-by-case basis. HSE has not formally published the criteria against which it judges that a site may be delicensed.

4. With an expected increase in requests for delicensing, HSE considers that the publication of a policy statement interpreting the 'no danger' criterion is now necessary for transparency and to enable HSE to make consistent and defensible assessments of delicensing applications.

5. In accordance with the HSE's belief that greater openness with health and safety information improves public understanding of, and helps strengthen confidence in, the health and safety system, HSC considers it is appropriate to consult publicly to ensure that the criteria proposed are generally acceptable.

6. If the response to this consultation proposal is favourable, HSE expects the policy statement to be adopted and formally published by Autumn 2004.

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