New body urged to manage nuclear waste ‘legacy’
The British government should set up a new body to manage Britain’s nuclear waste ‘‘legacy’’ as soon as possible, an influential House of Commons committee urged today.
The trade and industry committee welcomed British government plans to establish a Liabilities Management Authority, taking over responsibility for the management of civil sector nuclear liabilities such as waste, plant and machinery from BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels plc) and UKAEA (the UK Atomic Energy Authority).
It said the plan should provide a ‘‘focused, long-term’’ clean-up programme and greater transparency in the way in which the estimated £48bn (€76bn) problem is to be tackled.
But the cross-party committee, chaired by Labour MP Martin O’Neill, called for the new arrangements to be put in place quickly.
In a report, the MPs said: ‘‘It is essential that the legislation necessary to create the Authority be introduced without delay, so that strategic, long-term planning for dealing with the problems associated with the civil nuclear legacy can be put in place as soon as possible.’’
The British government, the committee added, should underwrite the new Authority.
‘‘It is essential that the Government ensure its contribution is sufficient to enable the LMA’s objectives to be met, and to make good any shortfall created in the event that the LMA’s commercial operations fail to deliver an operating surplus.’’
