Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 31
31
Given the centrality of its role we asked the Department whether its own role was...
Conclusion
Given the centrality of its role we asked the Department whether its own role was subject to sufficient scrutiny and whether AGR decommissioning should be included in the Government Major Projects Portfolio. The Department told us that similar concerns had been raised by HM Treasury and Cabinet Office. However, the Department said that it did not think that it was appropriate for the programme to be included in the GMPP while it was being delivered by EDFE but expected it to be put on the GMPP once more stations are transferred to NDA control. We have asked the Department to explain why the programme should not be added to the GMPP sooner and therefore benefit from advice on the adequacy of the proposed transfer. The Department said that in the meantime, and in response to HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, it was developing metrics that would be akin to the GMPP to provide that assurance. However, the metrics have not yet been developed.51 46 Q 86; C&AG’s report para 12 47 Q 86; The Committee of Public Accounts, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s management of the Magnox contract, Twenty-Eighth Session of 2019–21, HC 653, 27 November 2020 48 Q 86 49 Q 87 50 C&AG’s report paras 14, 2.26 51 Qq 88–89 18 The future of the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: November 2022 7.2 Monitoring, reporting, and assurance processes and structures were put into place following the agreement of the revised AGR defueling and decommissioning arrangements with Électricité de France Energy (EDF) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The department will revert with further detail on these processes and set out how they provide appropriate oversight and facilitate the necessary scrutiny and challenge. 7.3 With regard to the second part of this recommendation, the department will approach the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) for their support in developing a response for the Committee.