Speeches by MacAlister.

“How confident do you think we can be about the projected increase in demand for energy from major changes such as the use of datacentres and AI? There are some assumptions built into models about the amount of demand that will come into the system, but how confident can we be in the current projections that are there e…”

“How confident do you think we can be about the projected increase in demand for energy from major changes such as the use of datacentres and AI? There are some assumptions built into models about the amount of demand that will come into the system, but how confident can we be in the current projections that are there e…”

“On the Government’s announcement earlier this week about AI growth zones, Secretary of State, there is potentially a big link there to the use of nuclear power in the future. The industry is waiting for two important things that were long delayed under the previous Government: one is the publication of an alternative r…”

“Earlier in this session we talked about the goals that are in place for solar and wind. The last Government had a goal—I would not say much of a plan, but a goal—around 24 GW of nuclear by 2050, and the current US Administration has a 200 GW nuclear goal for 2050. Using the same logic that we have for clear goals to gi…”

“Thank you to Ed and Jeremy for coming to the Committee. Also, thank you for your leadership on these issues and the energy you have brought to them. In the first six months you have shown what Government are capable of doing and we have a clear plan and energy behind it. I want to ask about planning reform, because it …”

“I have a few questions about nuclear, which have we spent lots of time talking about, Ed, so it is good to get into it here. The first question is quite a specific one to do with arm’s length body appointments, and it is probably more for Jeremy than for the Secretary of State. This has come up in quite a lot of the ev…”

“I completely agree. I have a huge amount of respect for the hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (David Simmonds), who shared his comments a while ago, but if he and other Members were serious about this matter, they would table amendments to deliver on IICSA’s recommendation not to go through the process agai…”

“Will my hon. Friend give way?”

“I completely agree that we need to do an awful lot more to support the recruitment and retention of foster carers. Ministers have shown reforming zeal with this measure to provide the Secretary of State with powers to create regional care co-operatives across the country. If the Bill is passed, I urge Ministers to use …”

“I welcome this Bill because it is a chance to make progress on resetting the children’s social care system in England, and that is where I will focus my remarks. Children’s social care is a special endeavour. It is a collection of kin, professionals and volunteers who seek to provide safe, stable and loving homes for c…”

“Does he agree that provisions in the Bill for measures such as regional care co-operatives, which would agglomerate services—bring them together—across local authorities, to do some of the work of commissioning, recruiting and building up children’s homes would help with the problems that he describes?”

“The final question is about the freedom and flexibility of procurement processes, given your role as a Government arm’s length body, and whether you have the range of freedoms that you would want in order to back the supply chain and particular communities in the UK in the way that, for example, EDF might be able to.”

“David, on the plutonium question, what are the opportunities for R&D programmes that could be exploited without necessarily changing the plutonium decision for the next few decades that was for putting it beyond use? I am thinking particularly about americium and the opportunities there. Do you think that there is a wa…”

“I should say, just to register it, that I am an officer of the nuclear energy APPG. I welcome the NDA coming to the Committee. I think that this is an often overlooked, but really critical part of the work of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It is very welcome that we are able to get into detail on this…”

“Would you be interested in harder forms of influence or role?”

“You think you have got it right?”

“What is the barrier to doing more of that?”

“I would argue that EDF is seen in those terms as well, as transparent and probably a good buyer. I don’t know; there may be people watching this who have very different views on that, but I imagine EDF would be seen in that light, and yet it has a bit more freedom. I appreciate that you are operating within the rules t…”

“The NAO report shows they had lots of time to work at Sellafield. I speak for myself: I do not think that they are fit for purpose in making speedy decisions, and I think that probably lots of people in Government would share that view. I appreciate that you are operating within the mandate that you have been given, bu…”

“It was just on this point about innovation insertion points. I guess there is also a case for saying that you could do some innovation development points as well, back to the point of shaping?”