Modular Nuclear Programme

Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

As part of the initiative with the United States, we are looking at setting up 12 AMRs at Hartlepool, which will provide a lot of energy for the area for industry and around 3 million homes will benefit as well. It will create a lot of jobs in the area and bring great economic benefit to the region, into the millions of pounds.

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Con)]

My Lords, under the previous Government a commitment was made that 70% of the value of contracts for Sizewell C would go to UK companies, so the recent announcement about Urenco having the contract to supply Sizewell with nuclear fuel is welcome and a good start. I have two questions. How will the Government ensure that future nuclear fuels for the new industries are both produced and made competitive within the United Kingdom? Can the Minister assure the House that a similar 70% content commitment will be made in respect of not just the small modular reactors but the advanced technologies, in which we have a fighting chance still of leading the world?

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

I welcome the questions from the noble Baroness. To answer both, we still intend on making sure that we have 70% of content as far as the supply chain, for example, is concerned. Nuclear fuel is obviously an issue for the private sector and the developers there. As I said, we are not going to rely on Russian fuel after 2028.