- GREATER CLARITY NEEDED IN REGULATION – SAY NUCLEAR EXPERTS
- Report with thanks to
HSE.
THE Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has today published a report calling for greater clarity in nuclear regulation. The report, ‘Review of the Regulation of Nuclear Safety and the Management of Radioactive Materials and Radioactive Waste within the United Kingdom:- Structures and Principles of the Regulation of Civil Nuclear Licensed Sites’ has been produced jointly by the Nuclear Safety Advisory Committee
(NUSAC) and the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee (RWMAC).
The two committees agreed to undertake the study early in 2001 and set up a joint steering group for the work. The report sets out, for both nuclear safety and for the management of radioactive materials and radioactive wastes, the legislative bases of regulation, the principles upon which regulation is founded and current regulatory policy and practice.
The report compares the present regulatory arrangements with what the two committees regard as ‘ideal’ regulatory arrangements, drawing out those aspects that fall short of the ‘ideal’. The committees have recommended to Government steps that could be taken to introduce greater clarity to the regulatory arrangements and remove the potential for conflict between the requirements of the different regulatory bodies.
Professor John Knott, Deputy Chair of NuSAC, said:-
"Regulation for nuclear safety and that for environmental protection have much in common, notably safeguarding the public. But for various reasons, including the way they have had to evolve separately, the underlying principles that apply are different. This can lead to lack of clarity and potential conflict. We believe it is possible to close the gap and improve the consistency of regulation".
Interest Notes:-
1. NUSAC advises HSC and, when appropriate, Secretaries of State, on major issues affecting the safety of nuclear installations including design, siting, operation, maintenance and decommissioning which are referred to it or which it considers require attention. It also advises HSC on the adequacy and balance of the nuclear safety research programme that the Commission coordinates. Professor John Head CBE is
NUSAC’s Chairman.
2. RWMAC is an independent expert body established to advise the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations for Scotland and Wales on policy and practices for the management of civil radioactive waste. Professor Charles Curtis OBE is RWMAC’s Chairman.
3. The regulators are: for nuclear safety – HSC’s Nuclear Installations Inspectorate; and for management of radioactive materials and wastes – the Environment Agency for England and Wales and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Review of the Regulation of Nuclear Safety and the Management of Radioactive Materials and Radioactive Waste within the United Kingdom: Structures and Principles of the Regulation of Civil Nuclear Licensed Sites, is available free from the
NUSAC Secretariat, 5th Floor, North Wing, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS.
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- Conference
Boost for Town
SOUTHPORT has scored a major coup by attracting the Liberal Democrats’ spring conference to the resort next year. More than £1.5 million will be generated for the local economy when more than 1,500 delegates descend on the resort next March.
This announcement follows hot on the heels of the North West Regional Labour Party conference which was staged at the Southport Theatre and Floral Hall complex Southport’s reputation as a first-class conference destination is growing fast. More than 30,000 people will attend conferences in Southport this year ploughing more than £15 million into the local economy.
Lord Fearn, Sefton’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Tourism, said:- “This is fantastic news for Southport. Attracting major conferences like this reflects the growing status of Southport as a leading conference destination. The publicity that this conference will attract will be another huge major boost for the town."
“We have one of the best conference teams around and everyone has worked so hard to attract this and many other major conferences which generate so much income for the town. Conference business can only go from strength to strength.”
The Liberal Democrats decided to stage their conference in Southport because of its location, up-to-the-minute conference facilities, good restaurants and value-for-money accommodation
Penny McCormack, Director of Conferences and Events for the Liberal Democrats, said:- “I like Southport. Lord Street is particularly attractive and there are plenty of restaurants of every kind. There is plenty of scope for shopping too – but I never get the time during conference.”
The Liberal Democrats will be in Southport from March 19th –21st 2004.
MESMERISING THEATRE EXPERIENCE
Southport Arts Centre - Saturday 17 May 2pm
NOCTURNE is a beautiful production for 3 to 6 year olds, inspired by the fluid music of Miles Davis and the paintings and sculptures of Joan Miro.
Using the vivid colours and amorphous shapes of Miro's work, the Studio Theatre is transformed into a child's room at nighttime. A young girl is told a comforting story by her mother and then, as she falls asleep, her imaginative dream world comes to life and the stage becomes the playful world of her unconscious.
Puppetry, object manipulation, slide projection and film combine to create a gentle and mesmerising theatrical experience.
Kazzum have created a strong reputation over the past fourteen years for pioneering resonant creative work and dubbed as one of the countries leading Children's Theatre Companies.
Tickets are priced at £5 (£4 concessions), family ticket discount available, telephone the Box Office on (01704) 540011.
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