Nuclear: Small Modular Reactors

Debate between Lord Sharma and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Monday 19th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord for his congratulations. What better way to spend my birthday than answering his Question? I understand his frustration. Of course, we want to get this SMR programme over the line. Great British Nuclear is coming to the end of its evaluation process. I expect an announcement to be made within the next few weeks. I believe we have a great opportunity in this country to develop small modular reactors and a UK supply chain and to get us towards net zero, because of the essential contribution that nuclear power will play in the baseload we require.

[Lord Sharma (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome the fact that the Government hope to quadruple the amount of nuclear capacity by 2050—the same target that the Conservative Government had—and it is very welcome in terms of baseload. Can the Minister give us some indication of what percentage of that increase in capacity is going to come from SMRs and AMRs as opposed to big nuclear, particularly given how long it takes for decisions to be enacted?

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord is referring to the road map issued by the last Government. He will know that unfortunately it was not backed up by any concrete plan or resource, so we are having to pick up the pieces. I cannot yet give him the answer on the mix between SMR and major-gigawatt plants. We are clearly alongside the SMR programme. We are moving rapidly towards final investment decision on Sizewell C, which is 3.2 gigawatts. That follows Hinkley Point C, where EDF says the first unit will open between 2029 and 2031. Over the next few months we will work very hard to look at the potential of SMRs, gigawatts and the advanced modular reactors and give industry a sense of where we are going in order to give it the security and certainty it needs to develop the supply chain we want to see.

Climate Change

Debate between Lord Sharma and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Monday 3rd March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness will know that we welcomed the report of her committee. We have provided a full written government response, including how we will support internal action to deliver on the global methane pledge. She will also know that we have included methane policies in our delivery plan for carbon budgets and will contribute towards the global methane pledge. I think that shows decisive action, and we are going to take strong international leadership to deliver against that pledge.

[Lord Sharma (Con)]

My Lords, decarbonising energy systems is a key way for countries to cut their emissions. The UK, alongside other developed nations, has supported developing countries, such as South Africa and Vietnam, to set up just energy transition partnerships to mobilise public and private finance to help those nations have cleaner energy. Will the Minister confirm that the UK will continue to support those partnerships? Will he tell the House how much UK climate finance has been deployed to support them?

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord for his work in this very important area. Of course, we are committed to international climate finance and to the £11.6 billion in the current spending review. By implication, I think he is asking the question he asked my noble friend the Leader last week about the impact of the reduction in the overseas aid budget. It is too early to be able to respond to him, and clearly we also have the forthcoming SR discussions, but the Prime Minister, in announcing the decision to the House last week in relation to the defence budget, said that the UK

“will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza, tackling climate change”.—[Official Report, Commons, 25/2/25; col. 633.]