Nuclear Development Forum

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

In September 2008, the then Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform John Hutton launched the Nuclear Development Forum (NDF), a policy advisory group which “brings together top figures from across the nuclear industry to support and advise the new Office for Nuclear Development in creating the right conditions for new nuclear power stations to be built in the UK as soon as possible”.

The NDF's aim was to "lock in momentum to secure the long-term future of nuclear power generation in the UK" and help make Britain "the best market in the world for companies to invest in nuclear power". It met three times a year and was chaired by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

In 2012 the Forum was closed and replaced by the Nuclear Industry Council. The Forum's last meeting appears to have been held in May 2012.

Background

The Forum's founding document states: "NDF must be able to discuss issues that may be commercially or politically sensitive, without prejudicing the interests of the industry or Government. Members will be entitled to discuss possible changes of policy or practice without implying the approval of their companies, ministers, etc."

Brief details of the Forum's meetings can be read here.

Government meetings

In November 2010 the Guardian revealed that the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) had paid more than £8,000 in 2010 for meetings outside government offices with the Nuclear Development Forum.

Two of those three external meetings with leading energy and engineering companies were attended by the secretaries of state at the time, Labour's Ed Miliband in March, and Chris Huhne in July, and the third meeting in October by the minister of state, Charles Hendry. Further meetings at the department's headquarters in Whitehall Place took place, for which costs were not provided.

Members

Membership is by invitation only, from senior representatives from the nuclear industry including vendors, operators, key suppliers, contractors and unions involved in the industry, and government.

NDF's members in 2008 were:

• Kevin Akhurst, RWE npower
• Nicola Baggley, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Jeffrey Benjamin, CH2MHill
• Tony Burbridge, BAE Systems
• Claire Chaubert, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
• John Chubb VT Group plc
• Keith Clarke, Atkins
• Bill Coley, British Energy
• Adam Dawson, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Vincent de Rivaz, EDF
• Melvyn Draper, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Mark Ferri, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Tom Foulkes Institution of Civil Engineers
• Paul Golby, Eon
• Judith Hackitt, Health and Safety Executive
• Cliff Harris, GE Hitachi
• Mark Higson, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Terry Hill, Arup
• John Hutton, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Robert Jackson, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Derek Lacey, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Jean Llewellyn, National Skills Academy for Nuclear
• George Lowe, Rolls Royce
• Neil McDonald, Department for Communities and Local Government
• Bon McGuiness, Serco
• Joe McHugh, Environment Agency
• Iain Miller, Doosan Babcock
• Chris Murray, National Grid
• Paul Noon, Prospect
• Luc Oursel, Areva
• Keith Parker, Nuclear Industry Association
• Jeremy Pocklington, HM Treasury
• Willy Rickett, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Peter Rogers, Babcock International Group plc
• Doug Rooney, UNITE AMICUS Section
• Mike Saunders, AMEC
• Tim Stone, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Mike Tynan, Westinghouse
• Richard Waite, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
• Craig Weaver, Bechtel
• Mike Weightman, Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
• John Williams, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform