Nuclear Safeguards Act 2000

The Nuclear Safeguards Act 2000 (2000 c. 5) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its effect was to enact in the UK the provisions of the 1998 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Nuclear Safeguards Act 2000

Long title	An Act to enable effect to be given to the protocol signed at Vienna on 22nd September 1998 additional to the agreement for the application of safeguards in the United Kingdom in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; to allow effect to be given to that agreement in certain territories outside the United Kingdom; and for connected purposes.
Introduced by	Second Reading 4 October 2000, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Dr. Kim Howells (Commons)
Dates
Royal assent	25 May 2000
Status: Amended

Background

Prior to the Gulf war Iraq had been undertaking a secret nuclear weapons programme, despite having a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. It was therefore thought appropriate to strengthen the international nuclear safeguards system by allowing the agency rights of access to nuclear facilities. These new powers were enacted by the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 22 September 1998.

The act gives the UK Government the power to provide a strengthened nuclear safeguards system in the United Kingdom. It provides an additional protocol to the nuclear safeguards agreement with the European Atomic Energy Community and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Provisions

Long title: An Act to enable effect to be given to the protocol signed at Vienna on 22nd September 1998 additional to the agreement for the application of safeguards in the United Kingdom in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; to allow effect to be given to that agreement in certain territories outside the United Kingdom; and for connected purposes.

The Act received Royal Assent on 25th May 2000.

The Act comprises 12 Sections:

• Section 1. Interpretation.
• Section 2. Information and records for purposes of the Additional Protocol.
• Section 3. Identifying persons who have information.
• Section 4. Powers of entry in relation to Additional Protocol information.
• Section 5. Rights of access etc. for Agency inspectors.
• Section 6. Restriction on disclosure.
• Section 7. Giving false or misleading information.
• Section 8. Power to search and obtain evidence.
• Section 9. Penalty for offences and offences by bodies corporate.
• Section 10. Service of notices.
• Section 11. Minor and consequential amendments.
• Section 12. Short title etc.

See also

Atomic Energy Authority Act

Atomic Energy Research Establishment

Atomic Weapons Research Establishment

Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom