Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (): The UK's nuclear sector is at the beginning of a
significant expansion in both civil and defence nuclear
programmes and will play a key role in delivering the
Government's Clean Energy Superpower Mission. Given the sector's
contribution to economic growth, this government will ensure the
right enablers are in place, including effective and
proportionate regulation and a suitably flexible planning
framework.
The Prime Minister is commissioning an independent taskforce to
look at the regulatory framework and regulations affecting
nuclear across both civil and defence sectors. The task force
will examine how to deliver nuclear faster and cost-effectively
in support of growth and innovation, while maintaining the UK's
high standards of nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation.
It will be led by an independent expert and will report to the
Prime Minister and present options to me, the Defence Secretary,
and Chief Secretary to the Treasury to consider in Summer 2025.
To improve the planning framework for nuclear infrastructure,
today I laid a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) on nuclear
energy infrastructure, called EN-7, before Parliament.
The energy NPSs set out national energy planning policy and form
the framework for my decision-making on applications for
development consent for Nationally Significant Infrastructure
Projects (NSIP) concerning energy under the Planning Act 2008.
EN-7 sets out the policy for considering development consent
applications for new nuclear fission infrastructure. It
introduces a criteria-based approach, removes the deployment
deadline for new projects, and expands the range of technologies
covered to include Small Modular Reactors and Advanced Modular
Reactors in addition to the existing Gigawatt-scale reactors. The
new planning framework is robust, transparent and agile and will
empower developers to identify potentially suitable sites against
a robust set of criteria ensuring safety, sustainability and the
mitigation of impacts on the host community.
This is the beginning of the formal Parliamentary procedure to
designate it and bring it into force as provided for in the
Planning Act 2008. From the day on which the draft EN-7 is laid,
Parliament will have a ‘relevant period' according to the
Planning Act 2008 to review the draft EN-7, raise questions and
make recommendations. The relevant period for EN-7 will start on
6 February 2025 and elapse no sooner than 23 June 2025, provided
I have discharged my duty to lay a statement before Parliament
addressing any resolutions passed by either House or
recommendations made by Parliamentary committees regarding the
draft EN-7. A public consultation on EN-7 will run alongside this
stage of the Parliamentary procedure. Officials will summarise
responses to this consultation for interested Parliamentary
Committees once they have all been received.
After the relevant period has elapsed, the NPS will be laid in
Parliament in its final form for approval by resolution by the
House of Commons, or by deemed consent by the House of Commons
following a 21-sitting-day ‘consideration period'.
