Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have taken to boost cross-border economic growth between England and Wales.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Economic growth is the central mission of the government. We work closely with the Welsh Government to ensure that Wales, like all parts of the United Kingdom, plays a full part in this mission and benefits from our modern Industrial Strategy, with higher living standards delivered across the country.

As part of this mission, the government is investing in projects that will drive growth across Wales. Alongside rail commitments announced at the last Spending Review, we have recently announced that Anglesey in North Wales will pioneer the UK’s first small modular reactors at Wylfa, with £2.5 billion of UK Government funding. This represents the most significant industrial investment in North Wales in a generation. The project is expected to support up to 3,000 jobs at peak construction and provide power for up to three million homes. Alongside this announcement, we have designated a new AI Growth Zone at the Anglesey Freeport, as well as another in South Wales.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether ministers have met Welsh farmers regarding the agricultural inheritance tax on working farms.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Ministers from several Government departments have met with organisations including the National Farmers’ Union, the Tenant Farmers’ Association, the Country Land and Business Association, the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, the Ulster Farmers’ Union, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of international regulatory harmonisation on the speed of delivery of civil nuclear projects in the UK.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

International cooperation and regulatory harmonisation have the potential to streamline deployment for nuclear energy deployment around the world and help achieve economies of scale.

The UK continues to explore opportunities for regulatory harmonisation in nuclear to speed up the deployment of new nuclear in the UK, demonstrated by the recent Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, which builds on existing UK-US collaboration.

ONR as the UK’s independent regulator will need to be satisfied that any design to be deployed in the UK meets UK safety standards and complies with UK law.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025 that increasing complexity in the regulatory system has led to a relative decline in the UK's nuclear sector.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government endorses the report’s approach and accepts the principles of all recommendations it set out.

My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has also issued a Strategic Steer which sets clear expectations for the civil, defence, and decommissioning nuclear sectors to accelerate safe and efficient delivery through proportionate regulation and stronger collaboration.

We will present a full implementation plan within three months, taking account of international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to implement the recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government endorses the report’s approach and accepts the principles of all recommendations it set out.

My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has also issued a Strategic Steer which sets clear expectations for the civil, defence, and decommissioning nuclear sectors to accelerate safe and efficient delivery through proportionate regulation and stronger collaboration.

We will present a full implementation plan within three months, taking account of international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of revising the semi-urban population density criterion on the development of civil nuclear projects in the UK.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

It is recognised that there may be potential longer-term benefits for nuclear technologies to be deployed closer to denser populations, such as providing high-temperature heat to industrial plants or proximity to electricity transmission infrastructure.

Given the importance of new nuclear development and recent recommendations from the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, government will be reviewing the criterion following designation of the new nuclear planning framework.