Clause 15 - Contents of strategy
Energy Bill [Lords]
11:15 am
Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (e-Commerce & Competitiveness), Department of Trade and Industry; East Ham, Labour)
The NDA's primary purpose is the decommissioning and clean-up of the UK's nuclear legacy—those public sector civil nuclear sites currently owned and operated by BNFL or UKAEA. That is what comprises the roughly £50 billion programme of nuclear clean-up, and the NDA will also acquire financial responsibility for those sites under clause 24. The Bill also allows the NDA to be given responsibility for securing clean-up at other sites. That is a matter of thinking ahead; the NDA will be the expert public sector body on nuclear clean-up. If circumstances arise in which the Government is faced with having to act in respect of private sector sites, we want to have that option available.
It is important, however, not to get carried away. There is one nuclear operator in the private sector—British Energy—which is currently the subject of a restructuring agreement that seeks to ensure safe and secure management of its nuclear liabilities. That is currently under discussion with the European Commission. The NDA will not be involved with the future operation of British Energy installations, except possibly on behalf of, or in an advisory capacity to, the Government in relation to their preparations for British Energy's operations on decommissioning. Even if the full cost of decommissioning of British Energy fell to the Government, which we are actively working to avoid, that would amount to well under 10
per cent. of the NDA's total clean-up programme, without taking account of any revenue derived from operating the generating stations in the meantime, before they are passed to the NDA to be decommissioned. The net impact on the public purse would be much lower. I hope, on that basis, that the hon. Gentleman feels that he can withdraw the amendment.