A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency has visited the UK’s nuclear facilities to assess their civil nuclear security arrangements.

The visit fulfils a UK pledge to curry favour with the President Obama-led Nuclear Security Summit in Washington last year.

The International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission team went to the Sellafield plant (pictured) and the Barrow port, which is used for the transport of civil nuclear material.

DECC said that the mission found the UK’s arrangements to be “suitably robust”.

Lord Marland of Odstock, Minister for Energy and Climate Change, said: “We are the first nuclear weapons state to open its doors to the international experts to assess our civil nuclear security regime.

“This shows the world our commitment to nuclear security and to learning from others. I encourage other countries to follow suit.”

He added that they would continue develop and improve the security regime.