Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Saqib Bhatti and Iain Stewart

Wednesday 18th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Tom Randall (Gedling) (Con)]

13. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the Government’s energy security strategy on Scotland.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Iain Stewart)]

Our recently published energy security strategy will ensure clean, affordable and secure power for generations to come. The strategy sets out how Great Britain will accelerate the deployment of wind, nuclear, solar and hydrogen, while continuing to support the production of domestic oil and gas in the near term.

[Saqib Bhatti]

Nuclear power has proven to be a safe, cleaner and more efficient source of energy. With the Government’s plans for new modular nuclear reactors, nuclear will play an important role in our energy mix and reduce household energy bills. Does my hon. Friend share my disappointment that the Scottish Government dug their heels in and refused to get behind the UK Government’s drive for greater nuclear energy capacity?

[Iain Stewart]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. Nuclear energy is a safe, clean and reliable source of power and it will play an important role in the UK’s energy mix and transition. In particular, the new technology of small modular reactors offers huge opportunities. Scotland has a long tradition of nuclear power and we hope that the Scottish Government will be open-minded about working with us on it.