Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the incident at Sellafield Nuclear site on 28 November 2023.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 imposes duties on employers to protect employees and other persons against ionising radiation arising from working with radioactive substances and other sources of ionising radiation. These duties have been used to create safe working procedures at Sellafield which are regulated by the Office of Nuclear Regulation. The adequacy of these procedures are the subject of regular review by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. There has been no impact to the public or the environment as a result of this event. Safety is the overriding priority at Sellafield.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether unanticipated cost increases for Sizewell C will fall on consumers under the proposed Regulated Asset Base financing model.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Audit Office assessed that models such as RAB could have resulted in better value for money to consumers if they had been applied to Hinkley Point C.
Our plans for implementing the RAB model for nuclear include multiple safeguards to protect consumers’ interests. These include robust due diligence according to HM Treasury Green Book guidance prior to any final investment decisions and implementing an incentives regime for projects to manage cost and schedule.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions she has had with EDF on (a) the adequacy of its capital funding for the completion of the Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station and (b) China General Nuclear's payment contributions beyond their contractual cap.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
HPC is not a Government project. The financing of HPC is a matter for EDF and its shareholders and has not been the subject of discussion with the Secretary of State.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Q83 of the oral evidence given by David Williams to the Public Accounts Committee on 22 January 2024, HC 451, when he expects to (a) receive and (b) publish the report from the nuclear skills taskforce.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce is addressing how the UK continues to build nuclear skills and address challenges across its defence and civil workforce to help the UK meet its nuclear ambition.
The Taskforce is chaired by Sir Simon Bollom KBE and includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Education, academia, professional bodies and industry partners. Since September 2023, meetings have taken place almost weekly.
As set out by the Permanent Secretary, a report setting out the Taskforce’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Ministers shortly with publication to follow in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on future recruitment plans before the Government has given that report due consideration.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Q83 of the oral evidence given by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence to the Public Accounts Committee on 22 January 2024, HC 451, what plans he has to recruit an extra ten thousand (a) apprentices, (b) graduate engineers and (c) people in other professions.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce is addressing how the UK continues to build nuclear skills and address challenges across its defence and civil workforce to help the UK meet its nuclear ambition.
The Taskforce is chaired by Sir Simon Bollom KBE and includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Education, academia, professional bodies and industry partners. Since September 2023, meetings have taken place almost weekly.
As set out by the Permanent Secretary, a report setting out the Taskforce’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Ministers shortly with publication to follow in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on future recruitment plans before the Government has given that report due consideration.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Nuclear Skills Taskforce.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce is addressing how the UK continues to build nuclear skills and address challenges across its defence and civil workforce to help the UK meet its nuclear ambition.
The Taskforce is chaired by Sir Simon Bollom KBE and includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Education, academia, professional bodies and industry partners. Since September 2023, meetings have taken place almost weekly.
As set out by the Permanent Secretary, a report setting out the Taskforce’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Ministers shortly with publication to follow in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on future recruitment plans before the Government has given that report due consideration.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates the Nuclear Skills Taskforce has met since its establishment.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce is addressing how the UK continues to build nuclear skills and address challenges across its defence and civil workforce to help the UK meet its nuclear ambition.
The Taskforce is chaired by Sir Simon Bollom KBE and includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Education, academia, professional bodies and industry partners. Since September 2023, meetings have taken place almost weekly.
As set out by the Permanent Secretary, a report setting out the Taskforce’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Ministers shortly with publication to follow in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on future recruitment plans before the Government has given that report due consideration.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who sits on the Nuclear Skills Taskforce.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce is addressing how the UK continues to build nuclear skills and address challenges across its defence and civil workforce to help the UK meet its nuclear ambition.
The Taskforce is chaired by Sir Simon Bollom KBE and includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Education, academia, professional bodies and industry partners. Since September 2023, meetings have taken place almost weekly.
As set out by the Permanent Secretary, a report setting out the Taskforce’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Ministers shortly with publication to follow in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on future recruitment plans before the Government has given that report due consideration.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department plans to acquire the Wylfa site land at the book value assigned to it by Hitachi.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Wylfa is a candidate for new nuclear and one of a number of potential sites that could host civil nuclear projects. That said, no decisions on sites have been taken at present.
As a first step towards developing the new nuclear National Policy Statement, the Government is consulting on a proposed way forward for determining how new nuclear developments might be located. Separately, Great British Nuclear is working with Government to support access to potential sites for new nuclear projects.
Given the NPS consultation and any discussion regarding sites would be commercially sensitive, it is too early to say more on any approach to specific sites.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the draft Energy National Policy Statements, what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of extending the proposed Critical National Priority presumption to any low carbon energy infrastructure (a) onshore and (b) offshore, including (i) nuclear generation and (ii) nature gas fired generation which is carbon capture ready.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has published an Appraisal of Sustainability of the National Policy Statements. The Appraisal of Sustainability provides an assessment of Critical National Priority under several headline themes, including the natural environment, and includes proposed monitoring to examine the effects predicted through the Appraisal of Sustainability against the actual effects of the National Policy Statements when they are implemented.
The published Post Adoption Statement also addresses amendments to the National Policy Statements that have been informed by the Appraisal of Sustainability findings.