Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with her Japanese counterpart on the involvement of Japanese companies in new nuclear power projects in the UK.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I have just returned from Japan where I met Japanese counterparts during the G7 Energy Ministerial for positive discussions on energy matters including nuclear.
Senior officials also have regular dialogue with Japanese counterparts including in relation to the proposed new nuclear power stations at Wylfa and Moorside, which are led by Japanese companies.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she expects the regulatory approval processes, including the Generic Design Assessment, to be completed for proposed new nuclear reactors at Moorside in Cumbria.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The regulatory approval process for new nuclear reactors proposed for construction in the UK is run by the UK’s independent nuclear regulators, the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agencies. DECC does not direct or intervene in the assessment process.
Generic Design Assessment of the AP1000 reactor proposed for construction at the Moorside site in Cumbria is targeted for completion in Q1 2017. NuGen has not yet made applications for site specific regulatory approvals, such as licensing and environmental permits, but DECC expects these to be made in good time, targeting completion for 2018.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she expects the regulatory approval processes, including the Generic Design Assessment, to be completed for proposed new nuclear reactors at Wylfa in Wales.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The regulatory approval process for new nuclear reactors proposed for construction in the UK is run by the UK’s independent nuclear regulators, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural Resources Wales (NRW). DECC does not direct or intervene in the assessment process.
Generic Design Assessment of the ABWR reactor proposed for construction at the Wylfa site in Wales is targeted for completion in Q4 2017. Horizon has not yet made applications for site specific regulatory approvals, such as licensing and environmental permits, but DECC expects these to be made in good time, targeting completion for 2018.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what changes have been proposed to the existing terms and conditions of the Sellafield workforce under the workforce reform initiative.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Sellafield Change Programme is being put into place to improve business performance and provide greater value for the public purse while maintaining the priority of safe and secure operations. In relation to terms and conditions of employment, there are two improvements being proposed by Sellafield Ltd: first, changes to the pay and grading structure of existing staff, to ensure that pay and grading is fair and equitable; and second, new terms for new starters that are more closely aligned to market practice. In both cases the business has and will continue to engage with its employees and their representatives on the proposed changes.
Details of the change programme are available in the attached.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the Sellafield Workforce Reform programme on the Sellafield workforce.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Sellafield Change Programme is being put into place to improve business performance and provide greater value for the public purse while maintaining the priority of safe and secure operations. Sellafield Ltd will continue to offer quality employment for many people for many years and is looking at how it can deliver the decommissioning mission as effectively and efficiently as possible and in a way that strengthens the local economy. Sellafield Ltd is engaging the workforce and its representatives on plans to improve the business and specifically on what this will mean for employees.
Details of the change programme are available at http://www.nda.gov.uk/contracts-and-competition/sellafield-model-change-programme.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she has made an assessment of the potential effect on carbon dioxide emissions of the life extension of nuclear reactors compared with the use of (a) coal and (b) gas-powered electricity plants producing the same amount of electricity over the same period.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our existing modelling estimates that in total, 187 TWh of electricity would be generated from the four nuclear plants whose lives have been extended in the period 2019 to 2030; this would lead to 0 MtCO2 emissions. By comparison, approximately 71 MtCO2 would be emitted from 187 TWh of electricity generated from gas CCGT; or 165 MtCO2 if generated from unabated coal. Like nuclear, it is estimated that around 0 MtCO2 would be emitted from the equivalent generation from onshore wind, offshore wind or solar power.
We have not performed exact modelling analysis on the impact that life extension decisions would have on carbon dioxide emissions because the reduction in emissions will depend on which generation technologies contribute to overall generation and the share of each. The mix in addition to nuclear could include a combination of coal, gas or low-carbon technologies.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he has taken to ensure that young people in West Cumbria are equipped with the skills they need to access newly-created jobs in the nuclear and renewable energy sectors.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Government is working with the energy industry to maximise economic benefits from new electricity generation projects and is providing support to enhance the competitiveness of the supply chain, including improving the skills and employability of the construction workers in the industry.
In addition Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has identified nuclear and energy excellence as a key priority contributing significant growth opportunities for the Cumbria economy. The Local Enterprise Partnership has strong ambitions to drive growth across the Cumbria area by improving the delivery of skills, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and business support.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that jobs created by the (a) new nuclear project at Moorside and (b) the Solway Firth Tidal Lagoon project are available to local people.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Government is working with the energy industry to maximise economic benefits from new electricity generation projects and is providing support to enhance the competitiveness of the supply chain, including improving the skills and employability of the construction workers in the industry.
In addition Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has identified nuclear and energy excellence as a key priority contributing significant growth opportunities for the Cumbria economy. The Local Enterprise Partnership has strong ambitions to drive growth across the Cumbria area by improving the delivery of skills, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and business support.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the ability of the Government to reach the target set in 2012 of doubling exports to £1 trillion per annum by 2020.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Ministers have acknowledged that the £1 trillion target is a stretch; however, the Government has a clear strategy for increasing both the value of UK exports and the number of British exporters.
This is set out in the Government’s evidence to the BIS Select Committee inquiry into Exports and the Role of UK Trade & Investment. Progress in delivering against the target will be reported through the ONS.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on levels of exports of changes in the budget of UK Trade and Investment between 2015 and 2020.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Savings will broadly be delivered through implementing a new digital infrastructure to provide cost-effective access to export services; contractual efficiencies; and prioritising market and sector opportunities that will add most value to UK export levels. This is about being more efficient and delivering for UK businesses, including through enhancing direct support and developing the private sector market.
HM Treasury has recognised the importance of the exports agenda by agreeing that £175m of further proposed savings between 2016-17 and 2019-20 should be reinvested in priority areas. The Government is committed to driving a step-change in UK exports and the reinvestment secured to refocus UK Trade & Investment will help us deliver this.