Queen’s Speech: Euratom exit will go ahead

Homegrown nuclear safeguards scheme will not replicate Euratom benefits, warns trade body leader

The government has signalled its determination to withdraw from Euratom when it quits the EU by publishing plans for legislation to set up a new UK nuclear safeguard regime.

The Queen’s Speech, delivered earlier today, outlined proposals for a Nuclear Safeguards Bill.

The bill proposes that the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) should be given new powers, allowing it to take over Euratom’s responsibilities for verifying and reporting that civil atomic power materials are not diverted from their intended use.

It will also take on the responsibility for ensuring that the UK meets its nuclear weapons non-proliferation obligations.

The Queen’s Speech background notes said that the bill was designed to ensure that the UK continued to meet its International Atomic Energy Agency obligations to safeguard civil nuclear materials and protect the supply of UK electricity by nuclear power.

Responding to the publication of the bill, Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, urged ministers not to give up on negotiating to remain a member of Euratom, which he said remained an “infinitely preferable outcome” to establishing a home-grown safeguarding regime.

While such a move was necessary, he said the government would be complacent if it assumed the new ONR powers “alone gets close to resolving the issues they [the government] have created”.

He said: “The process of replicating safeguarding inspections, agreeing a series of nuclear co-operation agreements with other countries (including EU states), and guaranteeing world-leading international research into fusion at Culham in Oxfordshire, is complex and likely to be subject to intensive negotiation.

“In a week when the chancellor has said leaving the EU should be done in a way that minimises the impact on jobs, growth and economic activity, the UK government must ensure this is the case. If they are absolutely wedded to leaving Euratom, there must be transitional arrangements in place to prevent a damaging cliff-edge in 21 months’ time.

“Even at this late stage, seeking to negotiate a way to retain membership of Euratom is an infinitely preferable outcome. For a minority government to announce a bill, with no prior consultation, is largely symbolic and leaves much work to do.”