Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to ensure that during and after the withdrawal of the UK from Euratom there will be seamless access to nuclear technology, decommissioning skills, and intellectual property as currently provided by membership of Euratom.
Answered by Lord Henley
The UK and EU have agreed in principle the terms of an implementation period running from 30 March 2019 until 31 December 2020. As outlined in the draft Withdrawal Agreement published on 19 March, such a period will include the provisions of the Euratom Treaty.
Alongside this, the Government has stated in its White Paper on the UK’s Future Relationship with Euratom (Cm 9593) that the UK will be seeking a close association with Euratom which will come into force when Euratom arrangements no longer apply.
The Government has also published a technical notice on civil nuclear regulation (DEP2018-0836). This notice explains to the civil nuclear industry and stakeholders how the sector will be affected in the UK in the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU and Euratom in March 2019 with no agreement in place.
The Nuclear Sector Deal announced on 28 June 2018 will also promote new opportunities in the sector including a focus on innovation to develop the technology and skills needed to maintain the UK’s position as one of the world’s leading nuclear nations.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure an agreement to replace Euratom in order to guarantee the seamless continuation of research and development work with the remaining EU member states and other relevant countries.
Answered by Lord Henley
The UK’s objective is to seek association to the Euratom Research and Training Programme as part of an ambitious Science and Innovation Accord with the EU. This would ensure collaboration with the EU across a range of nuclear R&D activities can continue uninterrupted.
The UK is also on track to have bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreements in place with key partners ahead of March 2019. This will facilitate continued, unimpeded civil nuclear trade and nuclear research cooperation with these countries.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements, if any, they have made for regular consultation with the Nuclear Institute during the process of withdrawal from Euratom.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government regularly engages with stakeholders in the civil nuclear sector on Euratom Exit. The Nuclear Institute has participated in Euratom Industry Fora for interested stakeholders, hosted by Richard Harrington, the Minister of State for Business and Industry. Government also frequently communicates progress towards Euratom exit with a wider range of stakeholders, including the Nuclear Institute.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for replacing each of the provisions of the Euratom Treaty with equivalent alternative arrangements.
Answered by Lord Henley
We are putting in place appropriate measures to ensure uninterrupted cooperation and trade in the civil nuclear sector when Euratom arrangements no longer apply to the UK, whether at the end of March 2019 or at the end of an implementation period. These arrangements include new safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency, nuclear cooperation agreements with key trading partners and a domestic nuclear safeguards regime. We will present the new international agreements relating to Euratom exit to Parliament for ratification in the Autumn.
The Government has published quarterly updates to Parliament on progress towards the UK’s exit from the Euratom Treaty in March 2018 and June 2018. These reports contain further information on the arrangements being put in place. The next such quarterly update will be published in October.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to consider a future relationship with Euratom similar to Switzerland's; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government has made clear that it is seeking a close association with Euratom. In the White Paper on our Future Relationship with the European Union (Cm 9593), the Government set out its vision for a relationship with Euratom that is broader and more comprehensive than any existing precedent. The Government proposed that this close association should be based on a comprehensive Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the UK and Euratom. This would help ensure the UK’s standing as a leading and responsible civil nuclear state is maintained, and would be mutually beneficial for the UK and the Euratom Community.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to ensure a seamless continuity of legislation and regulatory standards, and the enforcement of industry’s compliance with them, throughout and following the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom.
Answered by Lord Henley
Nuclear safety and security in the UK are currently regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and these arrangements will continue.
When Euratom safeguards arrangements no longer apply to the UK, the ONR will regulate safeguards in the UK. The ONR is confident that they will have in place the IT system and safeguards inspectors needed to ensure the UK continues to meet its international obligations when Euratom arrangements no longer apply.
The Government has made significant progress in our preparations to leave Euratom, to ensure a domestic nuclear safeguards regime can be in place from day one of exit, including passing the Nuclear Safeguards Act 2018 and proposing draft Nuclear Safeguards Regulations.
As outlined in the White Paper published on 12 July, the UK has proposed that we will be seeking a close association with Euratom, including regulatory cooperation on nuclear safeguards and technical cooperation on nuclear safety. We are well advanced in our work to address the issues that may affect the civil nuclear sector if an agreement is not reached with the EU.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures, if any, they are introducing prior to the UK's withdrawal from Euratom to ensure that each of the basic standards applied to the nuclear industries are checked and amended as necessary to ensure that each remains as valid and effective as those required by Euratom.
Answered by Lord Henley
Nuclear safety in the UK is currently regulated by the UK’s independent regulator the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and this will not change. We remain absolutely committed to maintaining high standards of radiation protection for workers, the public and the environment.
As of February 2018, the UK has transposed the majority of Euratom’s 2013 Basic Safety Standards Directive (2013/59/Euratom) into UK legislation, which sets updated standards for radiation protection. We are committed to completing the transposition of the remaining parts as soon as possible to ensure that the UK continues to be recognised internationally as a leader in radiological safety.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that (1) National Parks, (2) Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and (3) other such protected areas, are excluded as potential sites for the disposal of nuclear waste; and if so, how.
Answered by Lord Henley
A Geological Disposal Facility will provide a permanent and safe solution for disposing of the UK’s inventory of higher activity radioactive waste. The Government recently consulted on a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for geological disposal infrastructure. This draft National Policy Statement follows the approach of the National Planning Policy Framework and all other non-site specific National Policy Statements, by not excluding all development in designated areas such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and other such protected areas. Rather, the proposed draft NPS sets out that development for a Geological Disposal Facility should only be consented in nationally designated areas in exceptional circumstances and where it would be in the public interest to do so. Even if such development were consented, the developer would be required to take a number of measures to protect and where possible improve the environment. Existing UK legislation already provides a high degree of protection for National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and other such protected areas; the proposed draft National Policy Statement reinforces this. The Government is currently analysing responses to the consultation on the draft National Policy Statement and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that all local authorities that would be adversely affected by the construction or operation of a nuclear waste facility, including a facility for radioactive gases, are fully involved in any consent process; and whether local authorities will have powers of veto over such construction in their areas.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government recently consulted on draft policy proposals for delivering a consent-based process for identifying a suitable location to site a Geological Disposal Facility, which will provide a permanent and safe solution for the disposal of higher activity radioactive waste. The proposals recognise that the relevant principal local authorities, including county councils, unitary authorities and district councils will have an integral role in this process through their role on ‘Community Partnerships’ which will be developed in all areas that wish to put themselves forward as potential sites for developing such a facility. The partnerships are proposed to be used to share information, raise awareness and make decisions on behalf of their local area. The proposals set out that as members of the Community Partnership, relevant principal local authorities will have the ability to invoke a right of withdrawal from the engagement process. Also, before making any final decision on where to locate the facility, it is proposed that there will need to have been a test of public support that demonstrates community support for the development at a particular site. A test of public support cannot be designed or enacted without the support of the relevant principal local authorities. The Government is currently analysing responses to the consultation on the draft proposals for delivering a consent based process and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for (1) Ennerdale, and (2) the Ennerdale granite, in their future nuclear waste disposal policy.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government has no plans for Ennerdale and the Ennerdale granite in its proposals for developing a Geological Disposal Facility to provide a permanent and safe solution for the disposal of higher activity radioactive waste. The Government recently consulted on draft policy proposals for delivering a consent-based process for identifying a suitable location to site such a facility. The Government is currently analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a response in due course. No sites have been identified and it is proposed that any interested communities will be able to begin formal discussions with the Government following the publication of the response to the consultation and the launch of the siting process.