ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the matter of public involvement in decisions over nuclear power in the UK. It discusses the principal issues which include an historical account of the events that have led to the current situation and examines an examination of the safety legislation as applied in the UK. The chapter explores past and present siting policies and reviews of the current safety debate, and a more general discussion of the nature of the decision making environment. As a result of the development of nuclear weapons, the UK government was quick to recognize at an early stage the dangers of radiation. Legislation has been promulgated to protect the public from the effects of atomic research and nuclear weapon programs, or at least to define areas of responsibility and put limits on compensation. The existence of a nationalized power supply industry with a monopoly position in the UK market has centralized all the important decisions.
