Commentary on Sections Chapter 1: Nuclear Decommissioning Section 2 and Schedule 1: Constitution of NDA
38.Section 2 deals with the membership of the NDA and the basis on which members are to be appointed. It should be read in conjunction with Schedule 1 which contains more detailed provisions on terms of appointment and the basis on which the NDA is to conduct its business.
39.The section essentially provides for an NDA board of not less than seven and no more than thirteen members of which the majority must be non-executive members. This reflects the Government’s view that the role of the board should be to challenge the executive management team to do better and to hold it to account for its performance. Subsections (8) and (9) are specifically designed to ensure, so far as practicable, that the non-executive majority is maintained at all times.
40.The non-executive members will consist of a Chairman and up to eleven other persons (depending upon how many executive members are appointed). The Government intends that all appointments will be made by open competition under the rules set out by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (“OCPA”). The Chairman will be appointed by the Secretary of State. Other non-executives will be appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with the Chairman. The Secretary of State will consult Scottish Ministers before making these appointments.
41.The executive members will consist of a Chief Executive (appointed by the non-executive members subject to the approval of the Secretary of State) and where the Secretary of State so provides up to a maximum of three other persons appointed by the non-executives after consultation with the Chief Executive. Again, appointments will be made following open competition carried out on an open and transparent basis. The Secretary of State will consult Scottish Ministers before approving the appointment of the Chief Executive. Subsection (6) provides that the requirement to consult Scottish Ministers may be satisfied by consultation that took place wholly or partly before the commencement of section 2.
42.All these provisions are designed to ensure that final decisions on the NDA’s strategy and annual work plans (see notes to sections 11 to 13 below), rules of procedure and delegation of functions are taken by the Board and are not effective unless a majority of members present are non-executives. The procedure during the initial period (as defined) is set out in Schedule 1, paragraph 4.