Nuclear: Small Modular Reactors

Earl of Effingham Excerpts

Monday 19th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, I need no encouragement from my noble friend to knock on the doors of the Treasury. That is what we have been doing over the last few weeks, and having, I hope, very constructive discussions. I pay tribute to our former colleague Richard Caborn, the work he is doing in South Yorkshire in relation to the nuclear supply chain and the developments he is encouraging. I had a very good meeting with him and colleagues only a few weeks ago, and we are certainly very much apprised of the need for urgency. I am confident that we have a real opportunity in this country to develop SMRs and to see a strong UK supply chain. We should not be pessimistic. We have a great opportunity here.

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords, please allow me to quote the noble Lord, Lord Howell, former Secretary of State for Energy:

“some of us have been talking to the main SMR producers … delay and obstruction are their findings in dealing with the British Government … the order books are rapidly filling up in all other countries”.—[Official Report, 29/4/25; cols. 1095-96.]

The chief executive of Rolls-Royce has also warned that the Government run the risk that critical supply chains to support the development of SMRs will be built elsewhere if they fail to select the companies to build them by the end of June. Time really is of the essence. Will the Minister also commit to urgently addressing the regulatory, planning and environmental concerns that have caused the cost of nuclear in this country to soar?

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, we inherited the regulatory and planning infrastructure that the last Government left. Indeed, we have set up a time-limited task force to look at regulation to see how, in the experience of Hinkley Point C, we can find ways, without comprising safety, to speed up the regulatory process. We have the Planning and Infrastructure Bill coming to your Lordships’ House very shortly; I look forward to the support of the Opposition in taking it through.

As for what SMR companies are saying, I have had the opportunity of meeting very many companies that wish to develop SMRs. I have been to a number of international fora. The UK’s position, which, after all, the noble Earl’s party set up—the Great British Nuclear exercise that we are currently going through—is of considerable interest. We are going through a transparent and robust process. I believe that we will have decisions very soon and that they will set this country on a very good pathway on small modular reactors.