Inquiries launched by Wales and Scotland

The Welsh Affairs select committee has launched an inquiry to the future of nuclear power in Wales and will specifically look into the timescale for the Wylfa Newydd project, what level of strike price may be required and what potential there is for small modular reactors to be built at Trawsfynydd.

Committee chairman David Davies said: "The future of nuclear power at the Wylfa site is a perfect microcosm for the many issues surrounding this controversial source of energy, both in Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom. As the old generators are shut down we need to examine how the decommissioning process is carried out and what the environmental impact will be."

The Scottish Affairs select committee has also launched an inquiry, into the future of the renewable energy sector in Scotland. The inquiry will look at;

• the importance of the renewable energy sector to the Scottish economy;
• whether the UK government’s current energy policy would maintain a stable renewables industry in Scotland;
• the potential impact of changes to level of public subsidy on the sector;
• the effectiveness of the Scotland Office in ensuring the aspirations of the sector are fully taken into account in the development of policy; and
• the impact that renewable energy policy in Scotland has on the cost of energy to businesses and households in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK.

Committee chair, Pete Wishart, said:  "The last decade has seen an impressive growth in renewable energy capacity in Scotland and it has recently overtaken nuclear to become the nation’s primary means of energy production. These developing technologies are also a major contributor to the Scottish economy with over 20,000 people employed in the sector."