Key organisations

A number of organisations have an interest in the particles issue and meetings with key organisations are held on a regular basis. Dounreay is accountable to a number of these organisations.

Regular meetings with key agencies
Key organisations

Regular meetings

Regular meetings are held, and attended by the particles project team, with key organisations. Meetings are held bi-annually with the Scottish Government and include representatives from Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Dounreay Particles Advisory Group (DPAG)), Health Protection Agency (HPA), Food Standards Agency (FSA), Highland Council (HC) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The minutes of these meetings can be found here:

Minutes of meeting, April 2008
Minutes of meeting, November 2007
Minutes of meeting, July 2007
Minutes of meeting, March 2007
Minutes of meeting, October 2006
Minutes of meeting, February 2006
Minutes of meeting, July 2005

 

 

The site is accountable to a number of organisations including:

  • Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE)
    COMARE is an independent expert advisory committee with members chosen for their medical and scientific expertise and recruited from universities, research and medical institutes. The committee offers independent advice to all Government departments and devolved administrations, not just the health departments, and is responsible for assessing and advising them on the health effects of natural and man-made radiation in the environment. It is also asked to assess the adequacy of the available data and advise on the need for further research.
     
  • Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR)
    DBERR sponsors the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and UKAEA. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is accountable to Parliament for NDA’s funds, activities and programmes.
     
  • Dounreay Particles Advisory Group (DPAG)
    DPAG is an independent body set up by UKAEA and SEPA in May 2000 to provide independent scientific advice on the particles issue.
     
  • Dounreay Stakeholder Group (DSG)
    The DSG has been set up to give the community a greater say in the decommissioning plan for Dounreay. Over 20 different organisations covering every aspect of community life are represented. The group is expected to monitor the performance of the site contractor and the NDA in areas such as programme delivery, safety, environment and security, and play an important role in the economic regeneration of the area. It is part of a network of site stakeholder groups across the UK, with each site group represented at meetings of a national stakeholder group set up by the NDA.
     
  • Food Standards Agency (FSA)
    The Food Standards Agency is a UK-wide Government Department, with devolved offices, which has
    responsibility for protecting the public's health and advising Ministers in relation to food.
     
  • Health Protection Agency (HPA)
    The HPA is an independent body that protects the health and well-being of the population. The agency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur.
     
  • Highland Council (HC)
    The Highland Council is the planning authority responsible for appraising developments at Dounreay.
     
  • Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)
    The NDA is a non-departmental public body, set up in April 2005 under the Energy Act 2004 to take strategic responsibility for the UK’s nuclear legacy. Its core objective is to ensure that the 20 civil public sector nuclear sites under its ownership are decommissioned and cleaned up safely, securely, cost-effectively and in ways that protect the environment for this and future generations. DSRL is  contracted to the NDA for the clean-up of the Dounreay site, including particles.
     
  • Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
    Safety at Dounreay is the responsibility of DSRL which must comply with its site licence and other relevant health and safety legislation. NII regulates site activities under the Nuclear Installations Act.
     
  • Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
    SEPA regulates the discharges to the environment at Dounreay. This is by means of authorisations granted under the Radiation Substances Act, consents issued under the Control of Pollution Act, and permits issued under the integrated Pollution Prevention and Control regulations. These means of control contain limits and conditions with which DSRL must comply.
     
  • Scottish Government Rural Affairs and Environment Department (SGRAED)
    SGRAED is responsible for advising Ministers on policy relating to agriculture, rural development, the environment and fisheries, and for ensuring the implementation of those policies in Scotland.