Great British Energy: Nuclear Development

Lord Ravensdale Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

It is vital that we invest in nuclear. It will add to the baseload for electricity generation into the future. We want to see young people attracted into the industry, and growth in apprenticeships. We also want the supply chains to be focused not just in one area but around the country, in regions such as mine and my noble friend’s in the north-east of England.

[Lord Ravensdale (CB)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as a chief engineer working for AtkinsRéalis. I congratulate the Government on the Sizewell C announcement, which is fantastic news for the UK nuclear industry. But, alongside that, the Government need to consider enablers for nuclear, including a secure source of nuclear fuel. Can the Government say when they plan to bring forward the date for a ban on Russian imports of nuclear fuel into the UK, as the US has done, with all the benefits that would bring for forthcoming investments in the UK, international leadership in this area and our energy security?

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

The position of the Government is essentially that we want to see homegrown nuclear energy, as well as wind energy and hydrogen energy, so that we do not have to rely on foreign imports. I completely accept what the noble Lord said; I know it is something that the Government are looking at and want to address.