Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an impact assessment of the (a) implementation of a domestic safeguards regime and (b) undertaking other roles fulfilled by UK membership of Eurtatom by the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

A full Impact Assessment is being undertaken on the Nuclear Safeguards Bill, which will create the legal framework for a domestic nuclear safeguards regime following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Euratom. This Impact Assessment will assess the options for and implementation of a domestic nuclear safeguards regime following withdrawal from Euratom. Besides new responsibilities in respect of the new domestic nuclear safeguards regime, we do not anticipate the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) undertaking additional responsibilities as a result of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Euratom. The Department is in regular discussions with the ONR to ensure that they will be in a position to take on the role and responsibilities required to help ensure the UK’s domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime meets our international safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation obligations standards upon leaving Euratom.