Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to support the National Nuclear Laboratory's commercial opportunities abroad.

Final Approved answer to 20054

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has a close relationship with NNL who are integral partners in the development and implementation of a UK Civil Nuclear Export strategy, being taken forward under the Nuclear Industrial Strategy, to target the most promising overseas opportunities for the UK nuclear industry. NNL also regularly support and participate in UKTI’s related programme of civil nuclear focussed inward and outward trade missions. This partnership has contributed to NNL success abroad.

Longer-term commercial opportunities can stem from international collaboration on R&D. For example, NNL is involved in the Nugenia project which includes R&D on new and innovative designs in nuclear fission. They are also leading UK participation in the Jules Horowitz Reactor project in France on behalf of the Government, and have engaged with USA government on a number of issues, such as advanced recycle R&D and radioisotope thermoelectric generations for space batteries.