Nuclear Safeguards (Fissionable Material and Relevant International Agreements) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2021

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Excerpts

Tuesday 13th April 2021 Grand Committee

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)]

I am delighted to follow my noble friend Lord Trenchard. I welcome my noble friend the Minister to her position and thank her for her clear and lucid explanation of the SI before us, which I very much welcome.

I note in the Explanatory Memorandum that the UK already has a number of bilateral nuclear co-operation agreements with countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA, which is very welcome in addition to the measure before us. Are any other agreements in the pipeline of which we should be aware? That would be welcome news indeed.

I particularly welcome the extension that my noble friend outlined in her introduction. She said that the mutual co-operation will continue to exist, but that it will be extended to R&D, international property and the other items that she mentioned. That is very positive.

I really have only one question, which I appreciate is not directly relevant to the SI before us. It deals with civil nuclear co-operation but, in view of the Government’s recent announcement that we are to increase—I presume unilaterally—the number of nuclear warheads in this country, has her department had any negative feedback in relation to civil co-operation? It is interesting that my noble friend dwelt quite positively and strongly on this being a key nuclear non-proliferation safeguard. Obviously, it could be a potential setback, so I would be very interested in that regard, particularly in view of the sometimes tense relations that we have with my home country of Scotland, the place of my birth.

With those few remarks, I thank my noble friend for giving us the opportunity to consider the SI before us. I would very much welcome hearing more broadly of other co-operation agreements. I hope that we will continue to co-operate with Japan and the other countries along the terms that she outlined to us this afternoon.