Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, has appointed Dr Tim Stone as senior advisor to lead the development of arrangements for the costs associated with decommissioning and waste management for potential new nuclear reactors.

This follows the commitment set out in the Energy Review Report that a senior advisor would be appointed to lead discussions with industry on the costs associated with decommissioning and waste management for any new build and make proposals, based on ensuring the private sector meets the full decommissioning costs and its share of long-term waste management costs.

Dr Stone is the chairman of KPMG's Global Infrastructure and Projects Group. The Group specialises in advising asset owners, government bodies, contractors and infrastructure funds on the financing of major projects worldwide across a wide range of sectors.

In addition to his role as an expert non-executive director of the European Investment Bank, he is a member of:

• The advisory board of the Department of Health's Commercial Directorate,
• The council of London University's Institute for Education and;
• is a founder member of the Confederation of British Industry's Public Services Strategy Board.

He was a member of the DEFRA/HMT Sustainable Procurement Taskforce that sat between Summer 2005 & 2006; and chaired the working group on accountability. He was also a member of the Schools Minister's advisory panel on the Building Schools for the Future program.

Dr Stone will make proposals to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Chief Secretary of the Treasury.

Further details on the work programme and timetable to take forward this work will be set out in the Energy White Paper which is expected in March.