House of Lords Science and Technology Committee
Nuclear research and technology: Breaking the cycle of indecision

3rd Report of Session 2016-17 - published 2 May 2017 - HL Paper 160

Contents

Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

Context

Previous work on civil nuclear policy

Recommendations in 2011 report

Why we launched this inquiry

Structure

Working methods and acknowledgements

Government response

Chapter 2: UK civil nuclear research and development

Figure 1: Public funding of nuclear R&D for OECD countries 2011 and 2013

Coordination of UK R&D

Box 1: NIRAB final recommendations for the Government

Future funding and coordination of Nuclear R&D

Future funding of nuclear R&D

Figure 2: Public funding on nuclear R&D in the UK broken down by source

Figure 3: Public funding of nuclear R&D by Country 1980–2013

Chapter 3: UK civil nuclear strategy

Figure 4: Public support for new nuclear in the UK

Future civil nuclear strategy

Strategic policy decisions

International Co-operation and Generation IV

Box 2: Generation IV Reactor Concepts

The Nuclear Industry Council and a Nuclear Sector Deal

Chapter 4: Small Modular Reactors

Small Modular Reactors

Potential benefits

Potential challenges

Box 3: Summary of potential benefits and disadvantages of SMRs

Government inaction

Chapter 5: National Nuclear Laboratory

Assessment of the work of the NNL

Comparison with the national laboratories of other countries

Possible improvements to the NNL’s model

Merging the NNL and the UKAEA

Review of remit of the NNL

Government provision of core funding to the NNL

Chapter 6: Euratom

Exiting Euratom

Benefits of Euratom membership

Disadvantages of leaving Euratom

Moving forward

Summary of conclusions and recommendations

Appendix 1: List of Members and declarations of interest

Appendix 2: List of witnesses

Appendix 3: Call for evidence

Appendix 4: Abbreviations and acronyms

Evidence is published online at http://www.parliament.uk/nuclear-research-technology and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020 7129 3074).

Q in footnotes refers to a question in oral evidence.





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