Energy Bill


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Clause 86

Security of sensitive nuclear information
Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
Malcolm Wicks: This important clause provides for more appropriate penalties where an individual steals, or attempts to steal, sensitive nuclear information from sites holding uranium enrichment information, but which are not licensed nuclear sites.
The Nuclear Installations Act 1965 allows for sites where the reprocessing or enrichment of uranium takes place to be designated as prohibited places, for the purposes of the Official Secrets Act 1911. Two sites were previously designated prohibited places, and remain so. They are the Sellafield and Urenco Capenhurst sites. The Energy Act 2004 resulted in a major restructuring of the nuclear industry. It meant that sensitive nuclear information pertaining to uranium enrichment could be taken and stored away from the two sites designated prohibited places under the Nuclear Installations Act. There are already clear requirements for holders of sensitive nuclear information, in terms of what they must do to protect it. The Committee will want to be assured that the security regulator, the Office for Civil Nuclear Security, is content that those requirements are both sufficient and up to date. As such, the Bill proposes no changes to those requirements.
Steve Webb rose—
It being One o’clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at Four o'clock.
 
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