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Energy Bill

moved Amendment No. 48: 48: Clause 54, page 47, line 27, leave out ““2”” and insert ““5”” The noble Lord said: Clause 54 concerns the rules that govern decommissioning and waste handling programmes. There could scarcely be a more serious issue, and the most robust measures need to be in place to ensure that the whole process of decommissioning is handled in the safest possible manner. This is why we feel that there should be stringent penalties for anyone who breaks the laws concerning decommissioning and nuclear waste. The penalties should reflect the seriousness of such an offence. Amendment No. 48 would increase the maximum prison sentence from two to five years. Breaking the laws on nuclear decommissioning would not only put the safety of the community at severe risk but would represent a breach of trust in terms of the assurances concerning the proper handling of disposal. We feel that two years is simply not stringent enough. Considering the degree of risk, we feel that five years is more appropriate, while admitting that it is a subjective judgment. Amendment No. 49 in the group concerns those who might have provided false information to the Secretary of State. Anyone who intentionally gives misleading information should be subject to the full might of the law. However, we propose to omit the word ““misleading”” to avoid the chance of someone being prosecuted for unwittingly providing misleading information. The term is subjective. Misleading information can be provided knowingly, negligently or innocently. The latter, we feel, should be free from prosecution. The wording of the clause, if amended in this way, would still be absolutely clear that anyone who knowingly or recklessly supplies false information to the Secretary of State in response to a requirement under this chapter would be committing an offence. It would leave no room for manoeuvre. It would be sad indeed if someone was locked up for providing information that was deemed misleading by a court when they had absolutely no intention of misleading the Secretary of State. I beg to move.