NUCLEAR SAFEGUARDS BILL

Last night I contributed to a debate on the Nuclear Safeguards Bill which seeks to set up domestic nuclear safeguards to enable the UK to meet international standards and nuclear non-proliferation standards, under the jurisdiction of the Office for Nuclear Regulation. This will be required when the UK leaves Euratom - the European Atomic Energy Community - following Brexit.

I pointed out the folly of the UK leaving Euratom and urged the Minister to explore every legal route to allow the UK to stay as a member post Brexit, since legal opinion is divided as to whether or not a state has to be a member of the EU to be a member of Euratom.

Leaving Euratom will pose real difficulties and challenges for the UK and there is unease across the nuclear industry about this. However, as with every other aspect of Brexit, we are told by the UK Government, "it will be all right on the night".