Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the potential impact of a new nuclear power station at Torness on employment opportunities in the civil nuclear sector in the area.

The UK Government remains fully committed to supporting the civil nuclear sector as a core component of our clean power mission, driving energy security, reindustrialisation, and regional economic growth.

Great British Energy - Nuclear’s recent technical study showed that Scotland possesses land areas with high potential for new nuclear development, including around Torness. Such projects have the capacity to deliver billions of pounds in investment and create thousands of high-quality, long-term skilled jobs.

However, the Scottish Government's opposition to new civil nuclear projects currently prevents these opportunities from being realised in Scotland. I highlighted the potential economic and employment benefits of a future for nuclear power generation at Torness in a recent Westminster Hall Debate about nuclear power in Scotland, and urged the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government on this important issue. UK Ministers engage regularly with their Scottish Government counterparts and remain open to discussions with them on deploying new nuclear technologies, to ensure Scottish workers and supply chains do not miss out on the skilled and secure jobs the nuclear industry provides.