Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
March 2025
Aim of inspection
This inspection is part of a series of inspections sampling leadership and governance in DRDL. It will sample evidence to support closure of RI-12126 and potentially a longer term recommendation (Nov/Dec 2025) for DRDL to move to routine regulatory attention.
Subject(s) of inspection
- Leadership & Management for Safety - Rating: Not rated
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
I led a joint regulator inspection of leadership and governance at Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited (DRDL). The regulatory team comprised inspectors from DRDL’S independent nuclear oversight function, the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator, the Environment Agency and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). This was an unrated inspection which is part of a series of interventions focused on leadership and governance at DRDL. It informs an ONR regulatory issue and contributes to the annual dutyholder regulatory attention level assessment. The ONR regulatory issue is focused on DRDL delivering sustainable safety performance in line with routine regulatory attention.
The sample for this inspection was:
- The DRDL Board
- The Devonport Licence Committee (DLC) which is a sub-committee of the DRDL Board
The scope sampled leadership, internal challenge and decision making informed by relevant good practice which includes ONR Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) and Technical Assessment Guides (TAGs) numbers 72 (Function and Content of a Safety Management Prospectus), 80 (Nuclear Safety Advice and Independent Challenge), 104 (Corporate Governance for Safety) and 107 (Safety Leadership). The inspection sampled DRDL Board/sub-committee input to:
- Delivering asset management plans
- Demonstrating dutyholder autonomy
- Embedding updated governance and internal challenge arrangements as described in the DRDL Safety and Environment Management Prospectus (SEMP)
This was not a compliance inspection.
This planned inspection was carried out during March 2025. I found evidence of areas of good practice and also areas that DRDL should consider for improvement.
Good Practice in my sampling:
- I judge that my sample of safety leadership by the DRDL Board, led by the Chair, was adequate.
- I welcome a self-awareness by the Board that cultural improvement and adequate organisational response to the independent oversight function are areas that require increased focus by both the Board and DRDL.
- It is encouraging to see the Board focus on delivering a more proactive approach to asset management.
- I welcome the Board focus on assessing the overall competencies of both the Board and the Executive Committee.
- I welcome a Board member acknowledging that another review of the effectiveness of the Board should be scheduled.
- I observed that the revised Board/sub-committee operating model which introduced the DRDL Licence Committee (DLC) circa April 2024, provides significant internal challenge on safety and environment matters and subsequently advises the Board.
- I judge that the inclusion of independent members on the DLC, including an independent Chair, is a positive approach.
- I welcome a self-awareness by the DLC that it is still a developing committee and the independent members are leading a drive to bring further value.
- Both the Board and the DLC demonstrated positive interaction with DRDL’s Safety Representatives which promotes internal challenge from a number of different levels in DRDL
Observation of areas for improvement:
- DRDL should reconsider how it can accurately describe governance arrangements within the management system.
- DRDL should consider strengthening record keeping and tracking of actions and advice between boards and committees.
- While I recognise that the DLC terms of reference may change as the committee develops, DRDL should consider how these terms of reference can be accurately and consistently described with the management system.
- DRDL should consider including the Operational Stakeholder Group terms of reference within the management system.
- As identified by the DLC, DRDL should consider the effectiveness of the board and committees in relation to the information presented and focus of the supporting briefs to provide an adequate insight.
Conclusion
This was an unrated inspection. I judge that relevant good practice was met in the sample inspected with some areas of good practice and some areas that DRDL should consider for improvement. No new regulatory issues were raised.