The Closed Nuclear Centres Programme (CNCP) represents the United Kingdom's contribution to limiting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by addressing threats arising from the nuclear legacy of the former Soviet Union. It reflects a shared endeavour to promote non-proliferation, disarmament, counter-terrorism and nuclear safety issues, which was embodied in the new Global Partnership launched by the G-8 countries at their summit in June 2002.

CNCP is funded by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The UK government has indicated that it sees the programme as part of a long-term cooperation. The programme cooperates closely with the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) and Science and Technology Centre of Ukraine (STCU) and uses their partnership mechanisms for project funding.

CNCP employs four instruments to achieve its goals:

• funding the commercial projects;
• training for personnel;
• assistance in the establishment of commercial links;
• support for sustainable economic development in the centres.

DECC has entrusted management of the Programme to a consortium led by HTSPE Ltd. which has extensive experience of programme management and of successfully promoting economic transformation in countries of former Soviet Union. HTSPE Ltd. Moscow office coordinates the Programme in conjunction with AEA Technology and a team of British and former Soviet Union Republics consultants.

The programme began work in Russia with Nuclear Closed Cities (Novouralsk, Ozersk, Sarov, Seversk, Snezhinsk, and Zheleznogorsk) created during the Cold War for the development of the Soviet nuclear military programme. As a result of restructuring, these Cities face the prospect of losing many thousands of jobs. To date, CNCP has approved grant projects which will create approximately 640 jobs in five of these Cities, and anticipates helping to create directly and indirectly some thousands more jobs.

In 2004, the CNCP Programme was extended to Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, where it currently works with the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the National Nuclear Centre (Almaty), the Kazakhstan National Nuclear Centre (Kurchatov), the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences (Tashkent). These institutes were established to carry out various stages of the development, production, and service of nuclear weapons.

In 2007 CNCP Programme activity has spread to Armenia, Belarus and Georgia. The Programme works with the Armenian Scientific Research Institute on nuclear power plants operation ARMATOM Ltd. and A.Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory (Yerevan Institute of Physics)(Yerevan), Joint Institute of Power and Nuclear Research - Sosny (Minsk), Institute of Physics named after E. Andronikashvili and Ilia Vekua Sokhumi Institute of Physics and Technology (Tbilisi).

Also, starting 2007 CNCP Programme has expanded geography of its activities in Ukraine. At present the Programme collaborates with a new partners - the Sevastopol National University of Nuclear Energy and Industry (Sevastopol) and Institute of Nuclear Research (Kiev).

Many of the former nuclear weapon workers are highly qualified specialists with knowledge and experience of potential interest to states or organisations seeking to acquire nuclear weapon technology. In addition, these people are responsible for managing the production, storage and disposal of sensitive nuclear materials, which could pose a threat to humanity.

As jobs are lost in these centres through restructuring and rationalisation resulting from changes in defence policy, it is of the highest importance that displaced personnel find new opportunities to use their skills in a way which minimises the risk of nuclear proliferation. International security considerations mean that it is of the highest importance that acceptable economic and social conditions and the morale and loyalty of the individuals concerned are maintained.

With this objective, CNCP supports the creation of new jobs for scientists and specialists who have knowledge and skills related to nuclear weapons production or access to nuclear materials.

The Programme focuses in particular on funding civil sector activities in manufacturing or services, which can provide the basis for sustainable employment and the promotion of viable enterprises. A major effort is being made to develop opportunities to commercialise products and services in conjunction with UK and other international partners.