Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new nuclear development on local communities.

Public consultation and community engagement is an essential part of the planning process.

We are in the process of designating a new National Policy Statement for nuclear energy generation, called EN-7, which we consulted on earlier this year. EN-7 makes clear that as part of the planning process the applicant must assess the socioeconomic the impact of the construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed nuclear infrastructure. This assessment should demonstrate that the applicant has taken account of, amongst other things, potential pressures on local and regional resources, population density and economic benefits.

New nuclear projects provide considerable benefits to the communities that host them. For example, EDF report that £5.3 billion has already been invested into the South West regional economy because of Hinkley Point C development.