Nuclear Development Forum
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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), 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”. [1] [2]
The NDF's aim is 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 meets three times a year and is chaired by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. [3]
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." [4]
Brief details of the Forum's first meeting can be read here (pdf file).
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. [5]
NDF's members are: [6]
- Kevin Akhurst, RWE npower
- Nicola Baggley, BERR
- 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, BERR
- Vincent de Rivaz, EDF
- Melvyn Draper, BERR
- Mark Ferri, BERR
- Tom Foulkes Institution of Civil Engineers
- Paul Golby, Eon
- Judith Hackitt, Health and Safety Executive
- Cliff Harris, GE Hitachi
- Mark Higson, BERR
- Terry Hill, Arup
- John Hutton, BERR
- Robert Jackson, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Derek Lacey, BERR
- 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, Her Majesty's Treasury
- Willy Rickett, BERR
- Peter Rogers, Babcock International Group PLC
- Doug Rooney, UNITE AMICUS Section
- Mike Saunders, AMEC
- Tim Stone, BERR
- Mike Tynan, Westinghouse
- Richard Waite, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
- Craig Weaver, Bechtel
- Mike Weightman, Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
- John Williams, BERR
Notes
- ↑ BERR Press Release ‘New nuclear is indispensable, Hutton tells top energy meeting’, 18 September 2008, accessed 22 September, 2008.
- ↑ DECC, Nuclear Development Forum, undated, accessed 9 May 2012
- ↑ [http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48487.pdf 'The role of the Nuclear Development Forum (NDF): mission statement, terms of reference, working principles and practices' (pdf file), BERR website, undated, accessed 20 October, 2008. It was originally chaired by the Secretary of State for Business, Peter Mandelson.
- ↑ [http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48487.pdf 'The role of the Nuclear Development Forum (NDF): mission statement, terms of reference, working principles and practices' (pdf file), BERR website, undated, accessed 20 October, 2008.
- ↑ [http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48487.pdf 'The role of the Nuclear Development Forum (NDF): mission statement, terms of reference, working principles and practices' (pdf file), BERR website, undated, accessed 20 October, 2008.
- ↑ Nuclear Development Forum (NDF): list of attendees for 18 September 2008 meeting (pdf file), BERR website, 18 September 2008, accessed 20 October, 2008.
