Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the ability of the Office for Nuclear Regulation to take over the (a) inspection and (b) oversight of responsibilities from Euratom on (i) 30 March 2019 and (b) 1 January 2021.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
We continue to work closely with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) as they take on the role and responsibilities required to enable the UK’s domestic nuclear safeguards regime to meet international nuclear safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation obligations when Euratom safeguards arrangements no longer apply in the UK.
Based on current progress, the ONR will be in a position to deliver a regime that will discharge the commitments set out in the UK’s new safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency by 29 March 2019.
The ONR will move to deliver Euratom equivalence as soon as possible. The speed with which the ONR is able to apply a system offering equivalent effectiveness and coverage as that provided by the Euratom regime is dependent on a wide variety of factors. These factors include negotiations on future cooperation with Euratom and technical discussions between Euratom and the ONR.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of generating capacity after the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors are decommissioned in 2023.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Capacity Market is securing the capacity required to meet peak electricity demand through auctions held four and one year ahead of delivery. It supports technically reliable existing plant to remain in the market and, as coal and other ageing plant retire, it strengthens incentives for new plant to be financed and built.
The Capacity Market has already secured over 5.4GW of new build capacity for delivery between 2018/19 and 2021/22. Alongside traditional gas generation, significant levels of alternative, innovative new capacity, such as demand-side response (DSR) and battery storage, has been brought forward. This wide range of new resources is helping deliver the security, reliability and flexibility that the country needs.
Other measures being taken to ensure the security of electricity supply include the broadening of the UK’s generation base through the deployment of new nuclear generation, with Hinkley Point C under construction, and offshore wind.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on contracts held by UK businesses under the Euratom Supply Agency.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Under Euratom Treaty arrangements, businesses based in Euratom Member States are required to seek approval from the Euratom Supply Agency to conclude contracts for the supply of nuclear materials. When the UK leaves the Euratom Community, UK businesses will only be subject to these arrangements for supply contracts involving businesses in a Euratom Member State. The EU position is that, in a “no deal” scenario, these contracts would require re-approval once the UK is no longer part of the Euratom Community, as set out in the EU’s Notice to Stakeholders published on 28 March 2018[1].
The UK has raised this as a priority issue with the European Commission, as set out in the UK’s position paper on Nuclear materials and safeguards issues, published on 13 July 2017[2]. This remains an issue of concern to the nuclear industry in both the UK and in the wider EU. There are positive signs that the Commission are seeking ways to address the problem, and the UK will continue to press for a solution that does not lead to any additional costs or inconvenience to industry.
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/euratom_en
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-materials-and-safeguards-issues-position-paper
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether any non-EU member states that participate in Galileo have companies that have access to contracts in the Galileo satellite programme.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Third countries currently participate in the Galileo programme via Cooperation Agreements. Both Norway and Switzerland are participants and contributors in the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and may bid for certain contracts. For example, Switzerland supplies on-board clock technology for the Galileo satellites and Norway hosts parts of the system infrastructure on its territory. However, their industries are restricted from bidding for contracts that include sensitive elements.