2nd ORAL QUESTION
Near-live transcript. Not the official record.
Automatic speech recognition of this debate. Verify wording against the official report in Hansard before quoting. When Hansard publishes, about three hours after the House rises, the text below is replaced by the official record.
- 11:20
The the government is absolutely encouraging universities and academics to support the government's uh programme as far as AI. And like I said in the earlier uh question, I have spent alast couple of weeks visiting various universities, science and technology hubs and all that and some of the exciting uh uh uh uh startups being set up at this university.
- 11:21
all of us should really welcome because UK is not short of innovators and we have got a pipeline
- 11:21
And we would like to see some of our innovators be unicorn companies.
- 11:21
is continuing to drive forward Gwyndod, the UK's first small modular reactor project.
- 11:21
Mitsubishi Nuclear and Rolls-Royce SMR entered contract earlier this year and are now undertaking design work to progress the Gwyndod SMR project in Anglesey in North Wales.project which represents the most significant industrial investment in North Wales forgeneration will support up to 3,000 skilled jobs on site at peak construction and thousands more across thesupply chain
- 11:22
I thank the noble Lady, the Baroness, for that, the Minister, for her answer.
- 11:22
But Project Gwyndod does indeed present a unique opportunity to create thousands of skilled jobs, to transform localcommunities and to help Wales become
- 11:22
world leader in nuclear technology and its supply chain. But to achieve that ambition we must also
- 11:22
invest in the infrastructure and
- 11:22
activity of that region, including an upgrade to the A55. What steps is the Government planning to take to ensureThis project is not held back by the current deficiencies in infrastructure.
- 11:22
Ofcom infrastructure is vital and and I recognise thepoint that she makes about Wales becoming a world leader and her commitment to Wales. Um, and this government does support the development of infrastructure
- 11:22
is strongly as is evidenced many on many occasions. Um the government will workpartnership with the Welsh Government to deliver better transport in
- 11:22
North Wales. This was demonstrated by Transport for Wales increasing the number of trains on the North Wales coast line by about half in May
- 11:23
And then it's planning for the delivered
- 11:23
Gwynedd project, Great British Energy and Nuclear will consider the necessary infrastructure required.
- 11:23
I think we have in the NHS a network of cyclotrons which we
- 11:23
long-lived medical isotopes. What we do not have is a reactor-based production of isotopes, so we import 80 to 90% of those isotopes from abroad, with supply chains often precarious, which meansOur patients, particularly cancer patients, have delays in getting their treatment. The Welsh Government produced a good business plan to base a reactor-based production of isotopes in Wales, cost of 400 million
- 11:23
over the last 70 years. If Wales is not not the ideal place, maybe the government will consider Scotland. But when
- 11:23
How's such a reactor based production?
- 11:24
a very important question that has been raised and I would always support the performance of devolved governments in in the
- 11:24
Um, and I note the point that he makes. I understand that there has been discussions on the Project Arthur proposal with the Department for Health and Social Carey, though there is notin informal commitment to the specific project. I can assure you that the government is committed to ensuring resilient medical
- 11:24
radioisotope supplies and making use of diverse international supply chains alongside greater UK manufacturing capability.wager funding including that 520 million pounds life sciences innovative manufacturing fundhas been made available to support UK manufacturing, but I note the point that he's made about Scotland.
- 11:24
the points that the noble Lord has made and I will ensure that they are communicated to the relevant departments because if it's raised in
- 11:24
matters to departments and they should pay attention to it.
- 11:25
as my noble friend knows, Hunterston and Torness are coming to the end of their lives shortly, and yet new nuclear is being opposed in Scotland by theScottish Government
- 11:25
I know that the UK government doesn't want to upset the Scottish government. However, since energy is a reserved area, is this not exactly the area we should use our sovereign powers and
- 11:25
And I don't know how well people know this, but I'm not really oncould as being frightened to upset the Scottish
- 11:25
I don't think I don't think they would have that view either, but he raises a very serious point and there have been discussions about nuclear power in Scotland.The Green Party had a debate at their conference. They have resisted it unfortunately, and the SNP has has stood against it.And I would say that they miss huge opportunities for the for the contributing to the development of clean air
- 11:26
in Scotland and across the UK, they are also turning their back on huge opportunities for investment and infrastructure development and the development of skills.
- 11:26
And of course we have high standards of safety and security under overseen by independent regulators. We've made a
- 11:26
I think the SNP have been very backward in their attitude and will use every opportunity I can to pursue this issue with the SNP government and I'm not frightened to do so.
- 11:26
my Lords my Lords
- 11:26
My Lords, on these benches we very much welcome the progress that has been made on this important project at Gwyndod. I wanted to ask the Minister to give some further information on the skills
- 11:26
allowing need to be recognised that there's the opportunity of 300 apprenticeships and 3,000 jobs, but what action is the government taking to ensure that local
- 11:27
empowered to apply for these jobs and then they turn into long-lastingopportunities
- 11:27
I think it's really important to make the point about Wales too, that Wales must be part of this, because often we've seen projects in the past that have
- 11:27
emphasise that connection to the local community and we must take those opportunities to do that so I agree with his emphasis on that.And also, I think, as John Healy said, the Chancellor said just today, we must make investment work twice, and I think weto really try and make sure that we do that in the energy department as well so that we get a skills
- 11:27
as well as a delivery bonus. And so we do agree that it must represent a significant industrial
- 11:27
in the region for it for in Wales for a generation. Um, as I've said, it will support 3,000 jobs. There is a nuclear skills plan. It's focused not simply on growing the nuclear workforce but on creating a strong, sustainable pipeline ofskills and it's something that we'll keep under close attention.
- 11:28
pounds and the development of
- 11:28
of Hinkley Point. It is the case the Government commissioned Fingelton
- 11:28
review pointed out how we could
- 11:28
these measures, but the government has refused
- 11:28
to implement
- 11:28
Recommendations.
- 11:28
put a question out over it, but I cannot um
- 11:29
planning and it's been far too slow, that's why the Fingleton review was undertaken. We've committed
- 11:29
to implementing the 47 uh regulations of the Vengrove review. We're implementing some of those already. UmI can say to him there will be lots of opportunities to discuss this matter further and perhaps we can have a more detailed discussion as we take forward the legislation.
- 11:29
And I suspect the notion of Brexit and the EU will be a continuing matter for discussion in this House.
- 11:29
my hon. Friend had to leave the islandto get a job, um, and after 15 years of a Conservative government in London and
- 11:30
many years of a Labour government in Cardiff, that's been an economic disaster for Wales.So can the Minister commit to recruiting locally for this project so thatdon't have another generationthat has to leave the island just for a job.
- 11:30
Again, a very serious question and a matter that demands close attention. I would need to look at the details of the particular islands rather than give you guarantees, but I can assure you that the principle oflocal employment, ensuring local communities benefit from infrastructure development, is at the centrewe will keep it closely monitored. We will ensure there is a skills pipeline coming through because there's a range ofjobs that are associated with nuclear projects from the very highly skilled through to apprenticeships and we mustMake sure that that is
- 11:30
Overall our commitment is to growth in every postcode, economic regeneration for all of the UK, and can I just say I think it was a modelbetween the Plaid Cymru government and the UK government to develop this project. Michael Shanks was there last week.
- 11:31
the title but the Welsh government minister saying delivering together, I think that's a constructive approach.We have our differences, but I think on employment and remuneration we can work together.
- 11:31
Just on this point, while I welcome the employment opportunities expected from the Gwyndod project, does my noble friend the Minister agree that success should not be measured simplyby the numbers of jobs created, but also by whether they are secure, highly paid, union-recognized jobs and filled by localpeople and what steps are the government taking to ensure that this ambitious project creates a sustainable pipeline of engineers,
- 11:31
Of course, again, a vital dimension of this. I should have said earlier that the nuclear skill hubs includes the Wales hub, and it is a UKwage theft that brings employers, trading
Automatic speech recognition (AI-generated text). Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.