Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on the development of nuclear fission technology of the reduction in the numbers of Centres for Doctoral Training funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council since 2013.

According to the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB), more than 400 students have followed the nuclear CDT programmes over the last ten years, with the vast majority following careers in the nuclear sector afterwards. We continue to work closely with the nuclear sector and academia to drive forward the necessary actions to enhance our nuclear capabilities in support of our energy security objectives and net zero ambitions.