Nuclear Security
25.Section 77 extends the scope of the enabling power in section 77 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (c.24) to make regulations to ensure the security of the UK’s civil nuclear industry. The territorial application of this provision is the same as section 77 of the ATCS Act i.e. to the United Kingdom. Nuclear security is a reserved matter in Scotland, an excepted matter in Northern Ireland and is not a transferred matter in Wales.
26.Section 77 of the ATCS Act does not currently permit regulations to be made to ensure the security of equipment capable of being used to enrich uranium or software containing information relating to uranium enrichment (including uranium enrichment carried out overseas) held outside nuclear premises, and the security of this equipment and software when they are being held, transported or transmitted. Uranium enrichment technology is used in the civil nuclear industry and has been sought by States seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
27.Section 77 of the ATCS Act does not currently permit regulations to be made to ensure the security of sensitive nuclear information being held, transported and transferred by carriers, where such carriers are not directly involved in activities on or in relation to nuclear sites or other nuclear premises.
28.Section 77 of the ATCS Act does not currently permit regulations to be made to ensure the security of holdings of sensitive nuclear information in the United Kingdom, where (a) such information is held in relation to uranium enrichment activities outside the United Kingdom, and the transport and transmission of such information; and (b) the person holding the information is not involved in activities on or in relation to nuclear sites or other nuclear premises in the United Kingdom.
