I hardly dare venture into this debate. I will try to be as brave as I can. I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy, for raising this issue and for doing so with her usual courtesy. She was kind enough to write me a note about this. My...

I hardly dare venture into this debate. I will try to be as brave as I can. I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy, for raising this issue and for doing so with her usual courtesy. She was kind enough to write me a note about this. My...

moved Amendment No. 42: 42: Clause 43, page 40, line 9, at end insert— ““( ) the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and ( ) any relevant local authority.”” The noble Baroness said: I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 43, 44 and 45. All the amendments in this group relate to...

moved Amendment No. 42: 42: Clause 43, page 40, line 9, at end insert— ““( ) the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and ( ) any relevant local authority.”” The noble Baroness said: I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 43, 44 and 45. All the amendments in this group relate to...

On that point, did the noble Lord mean ““tree huggers”” as a description of all those people who are anti-nuclear in a pejorative way?

On that point, did the noble Lord mean ““tree huggers”” as a description of all those people who are anti-nuclear in a pejorative way?

As we come to Chapter 1 in Part 3, I hope that it is in order if I ask the Minister a question which I asked at Second Reading, but to which I have not heard an answer from the Government. I would like to pursue it. Clause 101, the...

As we come to Chapter 1 in Part 3, I hope that it is in order if I ask the Minister a question which I asked at Second Reading, but to which I have not heard an answer from the Government. I would like to pursue it. Clause 101, the...

No, I am grateful to the noble Lord. Whether Dr Stone will be employed continually may be a matter for later decision, but it is intended that following the interim report that has just been published, there should be a final report from him in the autumn. It will cover...

No, I am grateful to the noble Lord. Whether Dr Stone will be employed continually may be a matter for later decision, but it is intended that following the interim report that has just been published, there should be a final report from him in the autumn. It will cover...

There is no guilty party, so let us all proceed in our innocence, although we are dealing with an extremely sophisticated issue. I was going to commend the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, for the assiduous way in which he has addressed himself to the issue of the continuation and recruitment...

There is no guilty party, so let us all proceed in our innocence, although we are dealing with an extremely sophisticated issue. I was going to commend the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, for the assiduous way in which he has addressed himself to the issue of the continuation and recruitment...

I, too, support the amendment, as all parties seem to do. The noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, made an important point about the regulator. Safety is of paramount importance, bearing in mind particularly how ill informed is the press on virtually all matters, particularly the future supply of energy. We need...

I, too, support the amendment, as all parties seem to do. The noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, made an important point about the regulator. Safety is of paramount importance, bearing in mind particularly how ill informed is the press on virtually all matters, particularly the future supply of energy. We need...

I am aware of that. There is nothing new under the sun and certainly not from this Dispatch Box. I know that the noble Lord wants us to move on and I will listen carefully to his argument, but I am not sure about the noble Lord’s case to change...

I am aware of that. There is nothing new under the sun and certainly not from this Dispatch Box. I know that the noble Lord wants us to move on and I will listen carefully to his argument, but I am not sure about the noble Lord’s case to change...

moved Amendment No. 41: 41: Before Clause 42, insert the following new Clause— ““Nuclear Installations Inspectorate The Secretary of State shall, in each calendar year following that in which this Act is passed, lay before Parliament a report on— (a) his assessment of the appropriate levels of staff and resources...

moved Amendment No. 41: 41: Before Clause 42, insert the following new Clause— ““Nuclear Installations Inspectorate The Secretary of State shall, in each calendar year following that in which this Act is passed, lay before Parliament a report on— (a) his assessment of the appropriate levels of staff and resources...

I thank the noble Lord for the amendment because it gives the Government the opportunity to clarify certain matters. It has to be said that in the intervening period since his first discussions with Ministers and officials, there have been attempts at clarification. Those of us who were fortunate enough...

I thank the noble Lord for the amendment because it gives the Government the opportunity to clarify certain matters. It has to be said that in the intervening period since his first discussions with Ministers and officials, there have been attempts at clarification. Those of us who were fortunate enough...

Before the Minister’s flow is interrupted, can I ask for another clarification? We are talking about very long periods. Are these fixed sums in the money of the day and do they stay fixed in the money of the day?

Before the Minister’s flow is interrupted, can I ask for another clarification? We are talking about very long periods. Are these fixed sums in the money of the day and do they stay fixed in the money of the day?

No, I was merely agreeing with the noble Lord that I hope my noble friend will be restored to health. I was not saying that that had happily happened yet.

No, I was merely agreeing with the noble Lord that I hope my noble friend will be restored to health. I was not saying that that had happily happened yet.

As I understand it, they do not have a statutory basis. These are the engagement activities that the NDA and British Energy currently undertake with local communities. Before I sit down, I shall have a response for the noble Lord about what may happen in the future. Amendments Nos. 42...

As I understand it, they do not have a statutory basis. These are the engagement activities that the NDA and British Energy currently undertake with local communities. Before I sit down, I shall have a response for the noble Lord about what may happen in the future. Amendments Nos. 42...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Bach, for his response, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, for his support. I understand that the noble Lord, Lord Bach, will not give me what I would like; however, one learns along the way every time that nothing is ever really...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Bach, for his response, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, for his support. I understand that the noble Lord, Lord Bach, will not give me what I would like; however, one learns along the way every time that nothing is ever really...

moved Amendment No. 43A: 43A: Clause 45, page 40, line 42, at end insert— ““and any such modification may either increase or reduce the amount of money specified in the funded decommissioning programme.”” The noble Lord said: Those who took part in the Second Reading will remember that I spoke...

moved Amendment No. 43A: 43A: Clause 45, page 40, line 42, at end insert— ““and any such modification may either increase or reduce the amount of money specified in the funded decommissioning programme.”” The noble Lord said: Those who took part in the Second Reading will remember that I spoke...

Could the noble Lord say that again?

Could the noble Lord say that again?

I shall try—the nuclear liabilities funding arrangements board, known as NLFAB. Information will also come from trustees of the independent fund and other related specialists. The board is being set up to provide the Secretary of State with the right level of technical and financial scrutiny. It will be thorough...

I shall try—the nuclear liabilities funding arrangements board, known as NLFAB. Information will also come from trustees of the independent fund and other related specialists. The board is being set up to provide the Secretary of State with the right level of technical and financial scrutiny. It will be thorough...

I thank those who joined in on this short discussion. It is extremely reassuring to know that the present Government in Westminster have drafted the Bill in that way not because that is how they want it but because they feel that they cannot do otherwise. I was a little...

I thank those who joined in on this short discussion. It is extremely reassuring to know that the present Government in Westminster have drafted the Bill in that way not because that is how they want it but because they feel that they cannot do otherwise. I was a little...

We support the amendment on the basis that local communities will be involved through the local authority. One of the problems with the privatisation of many of the companies with which we are concerned is that there do not seem to be many access points to long-term decisions, and we...

We support the amendment on the basis that local communities will be involved through the local authority. One of the problems with the privatisation of many of the companies with which we are concerned is that there do not seem to be many access points to long-term decisions, and we...

That was exactly what I meant.

That was exactly what I meant.