It is interesting to look at the NDA website and the NDA strategy which sets out to establish a world class programme of safe, cost-effective, accelerated and environmentally responsible decommissioning of the UK's civil nuclear legacy. I compared this with the information published by the MOD for the management of Defence related nuclear legacy on the MOD website, where I found no strategy for the management of the defence nuclear legacy; this is despite a policy statement published by MOD in 2007 and annex which sets out in detail the requirements for such a strategy. There is also a supporting policy fact sheet .
The absence of a strategy means there is no indication of how the policy outcomes are to be delivered, or when, what are the priorities, provision financial resources. It is notable that the DESB annual report 2009 to the Defence Board makes no reference to and provides no assurance on the delivery of the radioactive waste policy outcomes.
The 2009 DESB report does include an input from DNESB Chairman which mentions “that it will become increasingly difficult to maintain that the defence nuclear programmes are being managed with due regard for the protection of the workforce, the public and the environment.” but also contains no reference to the strategy for the management of the defence nuclear legacy. Despite this the DNESB Chairman reports “Substantial Assurance”.
