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359 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHigh Temperature Gas-Cooled ReactorsOn the first part of my noble friend’s question, he should partially congratulate himself, because he was very involved in making that happen, and I join him in congratulating…19 Jan 2026HANSARDHigh Temperature Gas-Cooled ReactorsSorry, I missed the middle of the noble Lord’s question. Is what properly protected—the fuel?19 Jan 2026HANSARDHigh Temperature Gas-Cooled ReactorsMy noble friend is right that there are many different technologies coming along, and one of the reasons why we put the advanced nuclear framework together is to make it possible…19 Jan 2026HANSARDHigh Temperature Gas-Cooled ReactorsThe short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is that, as we move towards contract completion with Rolls-Royce for the small modular reactors, we want to ensure that 70% of…19 Jan 2026HANSARDHigh Temperature Gas-Cooled ReactorsWe have two MOCs with Japan. One, as the noble Baroness rightly said, was signed in 2023, and a second, on HTGRs and fuel, was signed in 2024. We have regular meetings with our…19 Jan 2026HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesI thank the noble Lord for that comment, and I agree with it.15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesUKRI is clear that, when it allocates grants, particularly for the studentships into doctoral training centres, those organisations should consider increased participation and any…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesThe data for postgraduate research numbers in 2023-24 was that 74% were from white backgrounds, 9% were Asian students, 5% were black students, 5% were mixed students and 3% were…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesYes, I do agree with that, and that is why it is very clear that there is a focus on excellence in the very scheme that has been referred to, which is among the most excellent in…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesLast year, UK Research and Innovation funded around 1,800 training grants to support about 27,000 PhD students. Some research organisations ring-fence a small proportion of…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesJust to add to the starkness of those numbers, it is 160 black professors out of 22,885 professors overall. These are stark figures, and we need to do things to make sure that we…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesThere is no plan to cut PhD numbers, which are running at about 5,000 per year, funded through UKRI. That makes up about 20% of the total funding, with the other 80% coming from…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesYes, much of this was about postgraduate students, but it is true in the workforce. The Office for Students recently issued guidance that makes it clear that staff and students…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesI think the noble Lord may be referring to the scheme run by the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, which is one of the world’s greatest research institutions, with 12 Nobel Prizes…15 Dec 2025HANSARDNuclear Regulatory Taskforce ReviewA decision was made to get on with small modular reactors, and Wylfa is the site for that. That will start next year. At the same time, we have started a programme to look at…27 Nov 2025HANSARDNuclear Regulatory Taskforce ReviewAs I have said, as a country we have been neglectful of nuclear for far too long. We had a leading position in the world, which we lost through inaction, and that has been the…27 Nov 2025HANSARDNuclear Regulatory Taskforce ReviewI could not agree more about the urgency. We have a very big task, both with disposal of existing stores and with getting new nuclear moving. I had a meeting just yesterday…27 Nov 2025HANSARDNuclear Regulatory Taskforce ReviewI think both the previous question and this question refer to something which is a big problem: we have neglected nuclear in this country for far too long and it is important that…27 Nov 2025HANSARDNuclear Regulatory Taskforce ReviewOn the noble Baroness’s first point, I have been clear that there has been a long-standing neglect of nuclear. That has been across multiple Governments, and we should recognise…27 Nov 2025HANSARDNuclear Regulatory Taskforce ReviewThe noble Lord raises an important point about Wylfa. There are two aspects of this in relation to regulations. Small modular reactors are a way to ensure that we have a…27 Nov 2025