This page summarises which Ministers, independent bodies and the devolved administrations are responsible for the following areas:
- safety regulation at civil nuclear sites
- nuclear emergency planning and response to a nuclear emergency or incident
- safe transport of radioactive materials
- safe storage, use, discharge and disposal of radioactive materials
- safety of radiation levels in food
- environmental radioactivity and contaminated land
- involvement in international work on nuclear safety.
Safety regulation at civil nuclear sites
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), through its Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has statutory responsibility for ensuring there is an adequate framework for regulating safety at nuclear sites in the UK.
Licence conditions cover all the arrangements for managing safety, including responding to accidents, leaks and spillages of radioactive materials, emergency planning arrangements, and all aspects of transporting radioactive material on the sites. The ONR is accountable to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for its nuclear safety work.
The Secretary of State is accountable for nuclear safety at nuclear power stations and other licensed civil nuclear sites in the UK. As such, we are well placed to monitor and understand the technical complexity of the sector, and respond quickly to any emergency.
To minimise the environmental impact of day-to-day operations, the Environment Agency (in England and Wales) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) regulate the routine discharge and disposal of nuclear waste and other radioactive material. (There are no licensed nuclear sites in Northern Ireland.)
The Environment Agency is accountable to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for its work in England, and to the National Assembly for Wales for its work in Wales. SEPA is accountable to the Scottish Executive.
Transporting radioactive materials safely
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is accountable to Parliament for the safe transport of nuclear materials in the UK by road and rail, while the Secretary of State for Transport is accountable to Parliament for the safe transport of nuclear materials in the UK by sea and air.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is accountable for the safe transport of radioactive materials by road and rail in Northern Ireland.
Storing, using, discharging and disposing of radioactive materials safely
The Environment Agency (EA) regulates the discharge and disposal of radioactive material in England and Wales as part of its wider role in environmental protection. SEPA carries out the equivalent functions in Scotland.
The two agencies also regulate the storage and use of radioactive substances and the accumulation of radioactive waste, except on licensed and defence-related nuclear sites, where they are nevertheless a key part of day-to-day operations.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the National Assembly for Wales are responsible for the regulatory framework within which the EA operates, and the Agency is accountable to them. Likewise, the Scottish Executive is responsible for the regulatory framework within which the SEPA operates, and the Agency is accountable to the Executive.
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency regulates the safe storage, use, discharge and disposal of radioactive material.
Radiation levels in food
The Food Safety Agency (FSA) is responsible for the safety of radiation levels in food in the UK, as part of its responsibility for food safety more generally.
International work on nuclear safety
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is responsible for any UK involvement with international governmental bodies operating in the nuclear area. However, other dpartments represent the UK in their areas of expertise, for example the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) on nuclear safety generally and the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency on protecting the public from radiation risks.
The Secretary of State is also responsible for UK involvement in international initiatives to help Eastern European and former Soviet Union countries improve their nuclear safety. The ONR supports and manages many of these initiatives.