Month: January 2018

A safe, responsible, long-term solution for the permanent disposal of radioactive waste is the focus of 2 new consultations launched today by the government.

The UK has long generated radioactive waste most of which is low in radioactivity and is disposed of safely every day – from power stations to use in a range of industrial applications including medicine and defence. Some materials need more specialised disposal facilities and this waste is currently held safely in stores above ground. It is not sustainable to keep storing past and future waste on a temporary basis.

A Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) is internationally recognised as the safest and most secure way to permanently dispose of higher activity radioactive waste. This involves placing this waste at least 200 metres underground in a highly engineered facility made up of multiple layers of materials such as steel, rock and clay to provide protection while some of the waste remains radioactive – ensuring that no harmful quantities of radioactivity ever reach the surface.

The construction of a GDF would also support a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK, by providing a safe and secure way to dispose of the waste they produce. It will create up to 2,000 well-paid, skilled jobs and bring at least £8 billion to the UK economy over the lifetime of the facility.

Energy Minister Richard Harrington said:

We owe it to future generations to take action now to find a suitable permanent site for the safe disposal of our radioactive waste. And it is right that local communities have a say. Planning consent will only be given to sites which have local support.

Mr Harrington added:

As the government set out in our Industrial Strategy, the nuclear sector has a key role to play in increasing productivity and driving clean growth. Nuclear is a vital part of our energy mix, providing low carbon power now and into the future.

Professor Iain Stewart, Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute, Plymouth University, said:

A geological disposal facility is widely accepted as the only realistic way to dispose of higher activity nuclear waste for the long-term.

Geological disposal facilities are already being developed in Finland, Sweden, France, and Canada.

The first consultation, Working with communities sets out how the project developer will engage with people in areas that may be interested in hosting a disposal facility to seek their views and the second, on the proposed National Policy Statement, will create a rigorous planning process.

Radioactive Waste Management Ltd (RWM) will deliver geological disposal on behalf of the government.

Ann McCall, Radioactive Waste Management’s GDF Siting and Engagement Director, said:

Geological disposal will provide a safe, secure and long-term solution to managing the UK’s radioactive waste, and RWM welcomes the public consultations launched today which place communities at the heart of the process.

Notes to editors:

1. Both consultations will run for 12 weeks. The Working with Communities consultation will apply to England and Northern Ireland. The Welsh Government is conducting its own consultation on Working with Communities in parallel with the UK Government. The Scottish Government has its own policy on the management of radioactive waste.

   Working with communities: implementing geological disposal

2. The National Policy Statement consultation will apply to England only. It will require parliamentary scrutiny by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee and could be subject to a Parliamentary debate and vote.

   National Policy Statement for geological disposal infrastructure

3. Higher activity radioactive waste is produced from the generation of electricity in nuclear power stations, the production and reprocessing of nuclear fuel and the use of radioactive materials in industry, medicine, research and nuclear defence.

On 22 November Wilton Park and its South Korean counterpart the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) will jointly host the first Rules Based International System (RUBIS) conference to happen in East Asia, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. The event is co-sponsored by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The conference will bring together South Korea and the UK alongside other regional partners, that are major security and economic actors in the region, to exchange views and thinking regarding the role of the RUBIS system and its contribution to regional stability, security and economic growth.

The event will be opened by Chancellor CHO Byung-jae of IFANS and will include speakers from South Korea, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan and China, including Vice President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Danny Alexander.

British Ambassador to South Korea, Charles Hay, said:

I am very excited to be co-sponsoring this important conference with IFANS. This century is the Asian century as countries in the region become more prominent on the issues that are critical for global security and economic development. Influential East Asian countries like South Korea will be instrumental in shaping the future of the international rules based order.

Additional Information

RUBIS – The rules-based international system (RBIS) is founded on relationships between states and through international institutions and frameworks, with shared rules and agreements on behaviour. It works for UK interests in multiple ways: promoting peace and prosperity through security and economic integration; encouraging predictable behaviour by states; and supporting peaceful settlement of disputes. It also encourages states, and a wide range of non-state actors, to create the conditions for open markets, the rule of law, democratic participation and accountability.

Wilton Park – Wilton Park organises over 60 events a year in the UK and overseas, bringing together leading representatives from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, academia, business, civil society, the military and the media. They focus on issues of international security, prosperity and justice. Their meetings provide a neutral environment where conflicting views can be expressed and debated openly and calmly, allowing acceptable compromise and resolution to be achieved.

Their priorities include:

• Conflict prevention, resolution and state building
• Defence and security
• Global economy
• Human rights, good governance and faith
• Multilateral institutions, key countries and regions
• Sustainable development and the environment

You can find more information here: https://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/

Ms Khan, who is expected take up her post in the next month, was selected following an open, rigorous and transparent recruitment process. The role is for a period of 3 years.

Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said:

The Commission for Countering Extremism will form a crucial part of this government’s work to stop the scourge of extremism in all its forms and Sara Khan is expertly qualified to lead its important work.

She will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Commission which will prove vital as it works to identify and challenge extremism and provide independent advice to the government.

Last century we challenged racism by uniting civil society and the state. We have the same ambition to confront extremism. This government will not stand by and allow the menace of extremism to undermine the fundamental, pluralistic values which underpin our society.

The Commission has a clear remit to support the government, the public sector, civil and wider society to identify and challenge all forms of extremism. It will:

• provide the government with impartial, external advice on the tools, policies and approaches needed to tackle extremism
• support the public sector, communities and civil society to confront extremism wherever it exists
• promote fundamental, pluralistic British values

Initially, the Commission will widely and openly enter a discussion about extremism and Britain’s values with individuals from all areas of society, independently selecting who it will engage with.

It will also produce a strategic assessment of the threat extremism presents as well as the current response and in this initial phase will also advise on the Commission’s future structures and work programmes.

Sara Khan said:

I am honoured and humbled to have been announced as the Lead Commissioner.

I recognise the scale of the challenge we face in confronting extremism and I am deeply committed to this role. I will create a Commission that is forthright in challenging extremism in the name of our shared values, fundamental freedoms and human rights.

To those in our country who recognise the harm and threat extremism continues to pose in our society, I am eager to collaborate and engage; I extend my hand out to you to work with me in supporting the Commission’s work in building a Britain that defends our diverse country while demonstrating zero tolerance to those who promote hate and who seek to divide us.

The government is already taking robust action to tackle extremism. In recent years it has:

• grown a network of over 160 civil society groups that are standing up to extremism in their communities through our £63 million ‘Building a Stronger Britain Together’ programme
• published a new Hate Crime Action Plan (in July 2016). We have committed £3.4 million funding for protective security measures for places of worship and innovative community-led projects to tackle hate crime. We have also taken steps to increase reporting of hate crime, and ensured the police are now recording hate crimes by the religion of the victim
• continued to act to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in our schools, including through strengthening regulations to safeguard children missing from education (introduced in September 2016)

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister met President Alain Berset of the Swiss Confederation in Davos this evening.

They discussed how they want to continue the excellent relations which exist between the two countries once Britain leaves the European Union.

The Prime Minister confirmed the UK’s intention to agree an implementation period with the European Union, which will give certainty to businesses and ensure they only have to adapt to a single set of changes.

She also welcomed the leadership which Switzerland is showing on tackling the scourge of modern slavery.

They went on to discuss the importance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and countering the destabilising activity which Iran is carrying out in the region.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson travels to the Gulf today for high-level meetings on the issues facing the region. The visit follows two days of talks on the Middle East with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in London and international counterparts in Paris.

The Foreign Secretary will arrive in Oman on Wednesday 24th January, where his meetings will focus on making progress towards a political solution to the conflict in Yemen. He will then travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday 25th January, where he will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. The visit to Saudi Arabia will be an opportunity to discuss the crisis in Yemen, and countering Iran’s destabilising activity in the region while reiterating the importance of the Iranian nuclear deal for our shared security interests. The Foreign Secretary will also outline how the UK can be a leading partner for Saudi Arabia’s ambitious socio-economic reform programme, Vision 2030.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

Oman and Saudi Arabia both have crucial regional roles, particularly in finding a political solution to the crisis in Yemen. During my meetings this week I will reaffirm that there can be no military solution to the conflict – peace-talks are the only long-term solution for the people of Yemen.

In tandem, we must continue to address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. There has been progress in recent weeks with the reopening of the Hodeidah and Saleef ports, allowing vital access for food and fuel. We also welcome the Saudi-led Coalition’s new humanitarian plan for Yemen. The UK continues to play a leading role in humanitarian efforts, as the second largest donor to the UN appeal.

The UK firmly supports Saudi Arabia’s socio-economic reform programme, Vision 2030, led by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. These internal reforms are diversifying the economy while delivering greater inclusivity for all Saudi citizens. As a world leader across a wide range of sectors, the UK is well-placed to help Saudi Arabia deliver these changes.

Further information

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