These Regulations amend the Radioactive Contaminated Land (Modification of Enactments) (Wales) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2988 (W. 277)) (“the 2006 Regulations”).

Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43) (“EPA 1990”) sets out a regime for the identification and remediation of contaminated land. The 2006 Regulations made provision for Part 2A to apply with modifications for the purpose of dealing with harm attributable to any radioactivity possessed by any substance.

These Regulations are part of a package of measures to transpose Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom (“the Directive”). These Regulations transpose requirements in Article 73(1) of the Directive and make amendments to reflect new definitions in the Directive.

Regulations 3 and 5 amend the modifications made by the 2006 Regulations to the definition of remediation in Part 2A EPA 1990 in order to implement obligations under Article 73(1)(b) and (e) of the Directive. Regulation 3 also amends references to Council Directive 96/29/Euratom which is replaced by the Directive and makes other amendments to reflect the new definitions of “emergency”, “protective measures”, “remedial measures”, “optimisation” and “justification” in the Directive.

These Regulations also replace certain references to the Secretary of State in the modifications made by the 2006 Regulations with references to the Welsh Ministers. The amendments made by regulations 3(2), 3(4) and 4 of these Regulations ensure that the relevant modified functions are exercisable by the Welsh Ministers, in line with the underlying functions within Part 2A EPA 1990.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.