GovWire

Professor Laurence Williams has today been appointed as Chair of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management. He will take up the post in November 2012, for a period of four years.

Professor Williams is currently Professor of Nuclear Safety at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). Professor Williams has a long and distinguished career in the field of nuclear regulation, including as the Governments Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations from 1998 to 2005.

Energy Minister Charles Hendry said:

Professor Williams brings a wealth of experience in the nuclear industry, particularly in regulation.

This makes him extremely well-placed to lead CoRWM as the committee takes forward the vital role of scrutinising and advising Government on its radioactive waste management policy.

I look forward to working closely with Professor Williams to make further progress in this area.

I would also like to thank personally the current Chair, Professor Robert Pickard, for his hard work and dedication over the last four-and-a-half years.

The MRWS process has come a long way in that time and I have greatly valued the role played by CoRWM under Roberts Chairmanship and expertise. I wish him well in his future work.

Alongside this appointment, the Department of Energy and Climate Change published its 2011/12 annual report to Parliament on the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme.

The report shows that that steady progress is being made in managing the implementation of geological disposal, working within the underpinning principles of voluntarism and partnership with local communities.

Notes for editors:

1. The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management provides independent scrutiny and advice to UK Government and Devolved Administration Ministers on long-term management of radioactive waste, including storage and disposal. The Committees primary task is to provide independent scrutiny of the UK Governments and Nuclear Decommissioning Authoritys proposals, plans and programmes to deliver geological disposal, together with robust interim storage, as the long-term management option for higher activity waste. For more information see the CORWM website
2. The role of CoRWM Chair is remunerated at a rate of 450 per day; it is expected that the Chair will spend about 1.5 days per week on CoRWM business.
3. The appointment is made by the UK Minister of State for Energy on behalf of the Devolved Administrations as joint sponsors of CoRWM.
4. Appointments to CoRWM are made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the Nolan recommendations, appointees political activity (if any declared) must be made public. Professor Williams has not declared any political activity. He holds one other Ministerial appointment: as a member of the Defence Nuclear Safety Committee he receives remuneration of 210 per day for a time commitment of around 24 days per year.
5. The 2011/12 Annual Report on the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme and more information about the programme is available at on the MRWS website

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