Skip to content

Sellafield documentation

Date released
24 June 2024
Request number
202405017
Release of information under
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)

Information requested

I would like documentation regarding the nuclear processing that goes on at Sellafield, including permits, agreements, processes, management of waste, storing of waste.

Information released

We confirm that under s.1 of the FOIA, we hold some of the information relevant to your request. Please see below for our response.

With regards to the element of your request relating to permits at Sellafield Ltd, we confirm that we do not hold this information. This is because we assume you are referring to environmental permits, which are outside the scope of our legal authority, We confirm we do not issue or hold information regarding permits at the sites we regulate.

Under our duty to provide advice and assistance under s.16 of the FOIA, we advise that you contact the Environment Agency (EA) for information regarding permits at Sellafield Ltd. The EA can be contacted via email at: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.

With regards to the remaining parts of your request, we try to be as open as possible when answering requests for information. However, due to the broad nature of your request and the volume of information requested, we are refusing your request under s.12 of the FOIA, where the cost of compliance exceeds the appropriate limit.

Under our duty to provide advice and assistance under s.16 of the FOIA, it will be helpful to clarify our role as the UK’s independent nuclear regulator.

We have the legal authority to regulate nuclear safety, nuclear security and conventional health and safety at the 36 licensed nuclear sites in Great Britain. This includes the existing fleet of operating reactors, fuel cycle facilities, waste management and decommissioning sites, as well as licensed and, in part, authorised defence sites, together with the regulation of the design and construction of new nuclear facilities, including the supply chain.

We also suggest that you may wish to view the following publications on our website to assist you in clarifying your request. In addition, some of the information relevant to your request may already be available in the public domain:

You may wish to refine the scope of your request by providing:

  • Clarification on what you mean by “nuclear processing”;
  • Clarification on what you mean by “processes”, e.g. ONR’s general inspection/regulatory guidance;
  • Clarification regarding “agreements”. Please confirm if you are referring to licence instrument agreements. If so please specify a time scale to which your request relates, e.g. 2023-24 financial year. If you are referring to a different kind of agreement, please describe what you are seeking information on.

Once you have reviewed the information on the above website pages, and should you wish to narrow your request, please contact us via the email address: contact@onr.gov.uk, quoting reference: FOI202405017. Any reformulated request will be treated as a new FOI request.

Please note that in accordance with s.1(3) of the FOIA we are not under any further obligation to respond until you have provided the appropriate refinement.

Exemptions applied

N/A

PIT (Public Interest Test) if applicable

N/A