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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what role the development of nuclear power stations will have in the Government’s levelling up agenda; and whether regional disparities will be considered when determining which sites to prioritise for development.

New nuclear can bring significant economic benefits, including high-skilled employment, to regions across the UK. The construction of Hinkley Point C has to-date seen EDF spend £3.5 billion in the south-west and create well over 10,000 job opportunities. It is for private developers to propose and develop projects at suitable sites, however in recognising the importance of nuclear, the government has set out a new £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund towards the development of nuclear projects. More details of the Fund and how it will operate will be released in due course. Government would expect to see similar levels of economic impacts to those at Hinkley in the regions where future power stations might be built.