Extract from second reading debate (Commons) of the Nuclear Safeguards Bill - Oct 16
Tuesday, 17 October 2017 06:39
Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con):...Time is working against me, so I will
move on to my final point. I ask the Minister to ensure that the
measures in the Bill protect future programmes, one of the most
important of which is that of small modular reactors. If the
United Kingdom gets it right, we could be world leaders in this
technology. That would be a game-changer for the nuclear supply
chain. Fuel would be manufactured in the UK. In fact, huge
proportions of everything—from research and...Request free trial
(Fylde) (Con):...Time
is working against me, so I will move on to my final point. I ask
the Minister to ensure that the measures in the Bill protect future
programmes, one of the most important of which is that
of small
modular reactors. If the United Kingdom gets it right, we
could be world leaders in this technology. That would be a
game-changer for the nuclear supply chain. Fuel would be
manufactured in the UK. In fact, huge proportions of
everything—from research and development through to
manufacture—could be done in the UK. That would become a highly
exportable technology. Rather than importing much of the new
nuclear technology from overseas, the United Kingdom can own it
and, surely, emerging new nuclear technology must be at the
forefront of shaping our post-Brexit destiny. I hope that the
Minister can assure me that the Government will think about and
protect SMRs in the detail of the legislation. That is also
important for Moorside. My hon. Friend the Member for Copeland
(Trudy Harrison), who is not currently in her place, is a
passionate campaigner for Moorside, and such technology would bring
jobs to Cumbria. The fuel from Moorside would also be manufactured
at Springfields Fuels nuclear plant. Therefore, the measures in the
Bill really are important to ensuring jobs and the futures of all
our economies, particularly those in the north-west...
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