The Taskforce was also critical of the numerical dose targets in ONR ' s Safety Assessment Principles( SAPs). ONR has committed to reviewing its SAPs this year. The Taskforce report also calls for all regulatory guidance to be simplified, streamlined and made more navigable and clearly structured. It asks that guidance supports proportionality and reduces the likelihood of gold-plating and the need for guidance to support innovation and the deployment of new nuclear technologies. The Government, in response, has provided a direction to all regulators to revise their guidance to support proportionate, evidence-based decisions.
In the same vein, the Chancellor ' s letter to industry specifically requests to challenge“ regulatory overreach”, where dutyholders find the regulator is asking for a higher standard than is necessary.
Environmental protection Chapter 7 makes the clear statement that“ environmental protection is of the utmost importance” and again calls for more streamlined, strategic and better-coordinated regulatory arrangements that provide clarity and support timely, evidenced decisions while maintaining strong environmental protections. The report recommends changes to Environmental Impact Assessments, Habitats Regulations, and wider environmental permitting.
Decommissioning Of direct relevance to radiation protection, and specifically radioactive waste management, is Recommendation 22: Proportionate regulatory control of radioactively contaminated structures and infrastructure.
This recommendation is based on the assertion that“ Exploration of broader options for end states would also help ease the nation ' s decommissioning burden from a cost, schedule, and risk perspective, whilst maintaining acceptable safety and environmental performance.” In its response, the Government has committed to necessary legislative changes and working with the NDA and other stakeholders to inform policy changes.
Also of interest to those in decommissioning is Recommendation 23: Proportionality in permitting for decommissioning activities.
Planning and emergency planning In Chapter 8 recommendations 33, 34, 35 and 37 discuss numerous recommendations concerning planning and emergency planning.
Capability and Collaboration Chapter 9 makes a number of interesting observations about culture, capacity, capability and innovation.
Chapter 10 discusses international collaboration and a desire to avoid duplication of work, but highlights that measures are“ needed to ensure harmonisation does not come at the expense of safety or public trust, or regulatory independence.” This chapter advocates that“ The UK should be at the forefront of continuing international developments in nuclear standardisation and harmonisation for more advanced designs in the longer term.” Radiation protection professionals would therefore be encouraged to develop international standards literacy and forge overseas collaboration.
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