The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

12 May 2010

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has allocated £1.5bn to Sellafield Ltd out of its overall budget of £2.8bn for 2010/11.  This is a significant investment which is slightly higher than expenditure in 2009/2010 and recognises the NDA's priority of focussing its resources on tackling our highest hazards. As stated in our Business Plan, published in March 2010, we require all of our sites to deliver efficiencies so we can maximise resources to progress the clean up and decommissioning mission. This is particularly important at a time of significant pressure on public expenditure.

It is for each Site Licence Company to establish the work programme that meets their priorities within their funding allocation and to consult appropriately where this results in impacts on their workforce.

Sellafield Ltd have informed the NDA that they have entered into formal consultations with workforce representatives on their plans to defer some lower priority work in order to focus on high hazard reduction and on their plans to generate greater efficiency across the site. We support them in meeting these objectives.

In the meantime, the NDA continues to make a significant investment in creating an infrastructure in West Cumbria where existing and future employees can gain skills and work experience to take advantage not only of the future prospects at Sellafield for many years to come but also other projects that have and will come forward through Britain's Energy Coast for which we are key supporters.