The Government’s handling of the nuclear power industry’s rebirth was attacked by MPs last night as it emerged that the executive responsible for the £73 billion clean-up operation has still not been replaced eight months after his departure.
Ian Roxburgh quit as chief executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, a key organisation tasked with the clean-up of 19 toxic UK sites, including Sellafield, Harwell and Dounreay, last July.
But The Times has learnt that the NDA is still struggling to find a replacement, leaving a string of pressing issues building up in his successor’s in-tray, including questions over how the UK should handle waste created by new reactors.
“It’s a shambles,” said Greg Clark, Shadow Energy Secretary. “This is one of the most important appointments for Britain’s energy security. It’s another example of the procrastination and inability of the Government to make decisions.”
This year alone the NDA will spend £2.8 billion on decontamination, including £1.8 billion from taxpayers. It employs 350 people directly, but more than 20,000 through sub-contractors.
Since Dr Roxburgh’s departure, the NDA has been run on an interim basis by Richard Waite, a former BAE Systems executive. A spokesman for the organisation admitted yesterday that “there is nobody in the frame” for the job.
In 2007, the last full year he worked for the NDA, Dr Roxburgh was paid a total salary-and-bonus package of £312,000. It is understood that a significantly higher sum is now being offered to potential candidates.A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change rejected the concerns, pointing out that the NDA has managed to proceed with key pieces of work in recent months.
Ian Roxburgh quit as chief executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, a key organisation tasked with the clean-up of 19 toxic UK sites, including Sellafield, Harwell and Dounreay, last July.
But The Times has learnt that the NDA is still struggling to find a replacement, leaving a string of pressing issues building up in his successor’s in-tray, including questions over how the UK should handle waste created by new reactors.
“It’s a shambles,” said Greg Clark, Shadow Energy Secretary. “This is one of the most important appointments for Britain’s energy security. It’s another example of the procrastination and inability of the Government to make decisions.”
This year alone the NDA will spend £2.8 billion on decontamination, including £1.8 billion from taxpayers. It employs 350 people directly, but more than 20,000 through sub-contractors.
Since Dr Roxburgh’s departure, the NDA has been run on an interim basis by Richard Waite, a former BAE Systems executive. A spokesman for the organisation admitted yesterday that “there is nobody in the frame” for the job.
In 2007, the last full year he worked for the NDA, Dr Roxburgh was paid a total salary-and-bonus package of £312,000. It is understood that a significantly higher sum is now being offered to potential candidates.A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change rejected the concerns, pointing out that the NDA has managed to proceed with key pieces of work in recent months.
Source: The Times
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