Nuclear power
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on nuclear power. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 24.06.2013 | Thorium energy |
| Thorium is an element which, with the right technology, can be used as a fuel for nuclear power. It is claimed to have a range of advantages over uranium including greater abundance, lower radiotoxicity waste, safer operation and weapons proliferation resistance - although some of these are disputed. | |
| 30.05.2013 | Energy Bill 2013 - update for Report stage |
| The current Energy Bill now has its Report Stage scheduled, for 3 June 2013. This note provides an update to some of the more controversial areas, and to previous Library research briefings on the Bill. | |
| 16.05.2013 | Nuclear power |
| Nuclear power appears set to retain an important role in electricity generation and reducing carbon emissions. Issues include the continued safe operation of Britain's stations, the disposal of radioactive waste and proliferation concerns. | |
| 01.05.2013 | Nuclear energy statistics |
| The UK had the first civilian nuclear power station in the world and increased its nuclear output for most of the latter half of the twentieth century. The last nuclear power station to be built in the UK started operating in 1995. Since then output has fallen as some older power stations have been decommissioned. The UK now has among the lowest share of generation from nuclear of all countries with nuclear power. Some aging nuclear power stations have had their operating life extended, but the majority are due to close over the next decade. No new nuclear capacity is due to come online until around 2020. One consequence of being a pioneer of civil nuclear power is large ongoing financial liability for decommissioning old power stations and managing nuclear waste. | |
| 08.02.2013 | Carbon Price Floor |
| This note summarises the Governmnent plans to introduce a carbon price floor by April 2013 |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 12.03.2013 | Energy Bill: Committee Stage Report |
| This paper complements Library Research Paper 12/79 on the Energy Bill 2012-13. It covers the Bill's Second Reading and Committee Stages. The Bill seeks to implement electricity market reform and introduces 'contracts for difference' to support all forms of low carbon generation, including nuclear. Government amendments made during Committee Stage related to cheaper energy tariffs and setting a decarbonisation target. | |
| 13.12.2012 | Energy Bill |
| The Energy Bill [Bill 100 of 2012-13] seeks to implement 'electricity market reform' and through this achieve 'secure, clean and affordable' electricity supplies. The Bill was introduced to the Commons on 29 November 2012 and will have its Second Reading debate on 19 December 2012. A draft Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee. | |
| 06.09.2011 | Energy Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report |
| This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Energy Bill. It complements Library Research Paper 11/36 (Energy Bill) prepared for the Commons Second Reading. | |
| 23.04.2008 | Energy Bill: Committee Stage Report |
| [Bill 79 of 2007-08] | |
| 16.01.2008 | Energy Bill |
| Energy Bill. (Bill 53 of 2007-08). House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/05. |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 15.11.2011 | Nuclear research and development capabilities. |
| Science and Technology Select Committee (HL) report [Lords] | |
| 16.03.2010 | Radioactive waste management: a further update. |
| Science and Technology Select Committee (HL) report [Lords] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 08.12.2011 | AMERICIUM-241 |
| That this House notes that Americium-241 is a by-product of nuclear power stations such as those in Heysham; further notes that the University of Leicester is now developing radio isotope ... | |
| 19.07.2011 | EXPLOSION AT CYPRUS NAVAL BASE |
| That this House sends condolences to the island of Cyprus and its people, particularly to the families and friends of those who have died or been injured in the explosion at the Cyprus ... | |
| 12.07.2011 | FUKUSHIMA |
| That this House notes that the disaster of Fukushima continues and intensifies; is gravely concerned at the evacuation of the plant on 10 July 2011 following another powerful earthquake; ... | |
| 12.07.2011 | NUCLEAR POWER AND CARBON EMISSIONS |
| That this House notes the recent note by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (Post) in respect of the level of carbon emissions from nuclear power (Post Note 383); further ... | |
| 26.04.2011 | 25th ANNIVERSARY OF CHERNOBYL DISASTER |
| That this House notes that 26 April 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the tragedy which occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plants in 1986 and pays tribute to its victims; recognises ... |
Lords Library Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 13.06.2013 | Energy Bill (HL Bill 30 of 2013-14) |
| The Energy Bill is intended to establish a framework for delivering secure, affordable and low-carbon energy. This Library Note provides background information for the second reading of the Bill in the House of Lords on 18 June 2013. | |
| 15.01.2010 | Debate on 21st January: prospects for nuclear disarmament and strengthening non-proliferation. LLN 2010/002 |
| Debate on 21st January: Prospects for Nuclear Disarmament and Strengthening Non-Proliferation. This Library Note aims to provide background reading for the Debate to be held on Thursday 21st January: 'To call attention to the prospects for multi-lateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation' The Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference will take place in May 2010. This Note summarises the main issues addressed in the Foreign Office information paper Lifting the Nuclear Shadow: Creating the Conditions for Abolishing Nuclear Weapons and the Government's agenda for the Review Conference, as laid out in the Cabinet Office paper The Road to 2010: Addressing the Nuclear Question in the Twenty First Century. The Note also chronicles the main developments in the international community since the publication of these papers and summarises some of the contributions to the nuclear debate from a variety of sources, including the views of the UN Secretary General and the former Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency. | |
| 20.03.2009 | The potential for nuclear proliferation: debate on 26th March 2009. LLN 2009/003 |
| The potential for nuclear proliferation. House of Lords Library Note 2009/003 |
POST Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 23.01.2012 | Measuring Energy Security |
| This POSTnote explores ways in which energy security may be measured for monitoring purposes. | |
| 01.11.2008 | Future nuclear technologies. November 2008 |
| This POSTnote provides an assessment of nuclear power generation technologies. It looks at the designs of any new UK reactors and outlines details of the regulatory design assessment process, with an emphasis on safety, security and waste. It also looks at longer term research into reactor design and waste management. | |
| 01.10.2007 | Public opinion on electricity options, October 2007 |
| Public opinion on electricity options, October 2007. POSTnote 07/294. | |
| 01.02.2007 | Electricity in the UK, February 2007 |
| Electricity in the UK, February 2007. POSTnote 07/280. | |
| 01.01.2003 | Nuclear Fusion, January 2003 |
| There is growing interest in using nuclear fusion for generating electricity in the future. The fuel it would use is abundant and it produces no greenhouse gases. Questions remain over issues such as the economic viability and environmental impact of fusion power and the timescales for its commercialisation. |
