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15. SIR FRANK LAYFIELD ALSO HELPFULLY MADE A NUMBER OF
OBSERVATIONS AND INFORMAL PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER ACTION WHICH HE
CONSIDERED DESIRABLE. I AM NOT REQUIRED TO REACH A CONCLUSION ON
THESE FOR THE PURPOSES OF MY SECTION 2 CONSENT. I HAVE, HOWEVER,
EXAMINED THEM CAREFULLY AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THEY WILL BE
FURTHER CONSIDERED BY GOVERNMENT.
16. IN REACHING MY DECISION I HAVE CONSIDERED MOST CAREFULLY
SIR FRANK LAYFIELD'S COMMENTS ONSAFETY. I SHOULD MAKE CLEAR
THAT, AS A SEPARATE PROCESS, UNDER DIFFERENT STATUTE, THE CEGB ALSO REQUIRE A LICENCE FROM THE INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS
INSPECTORATE A WELL AS MY CONSENT BEFORE THEY CAN START
CONSTRUCTION. THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS
INFORMS ME THAT THE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE JUDGE THAT
THERE ARE NOW NO SAFETY OBSTACLES OF SUBSTANCE WHICH WOULD
PREVENT THE LICENSING OF SIZEWELL B IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
HE HAS ASSURED ME THAT THE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE
WILL CONSIDER CAREFULLY SIR FRANK LAYFIELD'S COMMENTS AND
PROPOSALS ON THE SAFETY OF THE REACTOR BEFORE ISSUING A LICENCE.
SIR FRANK LAYFIELD COMMENTED THAT BOTH THE CEGB AND THE NUCLEAR
INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE POSSESSED IMPRESSIVE TECHNICAL
COMPETENCE AND ENGINEERING JUDGEMENT OF A HIGH QUALITY.
17. I AM FULLY CONFIDENT THAT THE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS
INSPECTORATE WILL CONTINUE TO SAFISFY ITSELF ABOUT THE SAFETY OF
THE STATION THROUGHOUT THE REST OF ITS DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION,
OPERATION AND DECOMMISSIONING. AT EACH MAJOR STAGE IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND COMMISSIONING PROCESS, THE APPROVAL OF THE
NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE IS REQUIRED BEFORE THE CEGB
CAN PROCEED FURTHER.
18.
TURNING BRIEFLY TO ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY I
SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED THAT
RENEWABLE TECHNIQUES SHOULD, IN THE LONGER TERM, MAKE THE MAXIMUM
CONTRIBUTION OF WHICH THEY ARE ECONOMICALLY CAPABLE. WE ARE
SUPPORTING A MAJOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF WHICH
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