Part 1

The Civil Nuclear Industry
Chapter 3

Civil Nuclear Constabulary

Jurisdiction and powers of Constabulary

Jurisdiction of Constabulary
56
1
A member of the Constabulary shall have the powers and privileges of a constable—
a
at every place comprised in a relevant nuclear site; and
b
everywhere within 5 kilometres of such a place.
2
A member of the Constabulary shall have the powers and privileges of a constable at every trans-shipment site where it appears to him expedient to be in order to safeguard nuclear material while it is at the site.
3
A member of the Constabulary shall have the powers and privileges of a constable at every other place where it appears to him expedient to be in order to safeguard nuclear material which is in transit.
3A
A member of the Constabulary has the powers and privileges of a constable at every place where additional police services are being provided under section 55A.
4
A member of the Constabulary shall have the powers and privileges of a constable at every place where it appears to him expedient to be in order to pursue or to detain a person whom he reasonably believes—
a
to have unlawfully removed or interfered with nuclear material being safeguarded by members of the Constabulary; or
b
to have attempted to do so.
5
A member of the Constabulary shall have the powers and privileges of a constable throughout Great Britain for purposes connected with—
a
a place mentioned in subsections (1) to (4);
b
anything that he or another member of the Constabulary is proposing to do, or has done, at such a place; or
c
anything which he reasonably believes to have been done, or to be likely to be done, by another person at or in relation to such a place.
6
This section has effect in United Kingdom waters adjacent to Great Britain as it has effect in Great Britain, but as if references to the powers and privileges of a constable were references to the powers and privileges of a constable in the nearest part of Great Britain.
7
In this section—
- “detain”, in relation to a person, includes transferring him to the custody of another or to a place where he may be held in custody;
- “relevant nuclear site” means a licensed nuclear site other than a designated defence site;
- “trans-shipment site” means a place which a member of the Constabulary reasonably believes to be—
  1. a place where a consignment of nuclear material in transit is trans-shipped or stored; or
  2. a place to which a consignment of nuclear material may be brought to be trans-shipped or stored while it is in transit;
- “United Kingdom waters” means waters within the seaward limits of the territorial sea;
- and nuclear material is “in transit” for the purposes of this section if it is being carried (or is being trans-shipped or stored incidentally to carriage) before its delivery at its final destination.
8
In subsection (7) “designated defence site” means a site designated by order made by the Secretary of State as a site which appears to him to be used wholly or mainly for defence purposes.
9
An order under subsection (8) must be laid before Parliament after being made.
10
Where an order designating a site for the purposes of section 76(2) of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (c. 24) (jurisdiction of Atomic Energy Authority special constables) is in force immediately before the commencement of this section, that order shall have effect after the commencement of this section as an order made under and for the purposes of subsection (8).
S. 56 in force at 1.4.2005 by S.I. 2005/877, art. 2(1), Sch. 1
S. 56(3A) inserted (26.10.2023) by Energy Act 2023 (c. 52), ss. 307(2), 334(2)(n)