Speeches by Reader.

“Is that the role of your organisation—to be engaged in planning when you are going to have a role later to assess it anyway at site licensing?”

“We have had evidence that engaging with the regulators to find solutions is very difficult. Do you think there should be more engagement from regulators to be problem solving as opposed to just assessing and checking?”

“In its current drafting, you can’t see anything that would improve it?”

“So no changes at the moment, Mike. Rebecca?”

“I have a final question; it’s a nice, easy one for you all to finish on. Is EN-7, in its current drafting, perfect, or can you give us one practical recommendation in plain English that could improve it? I will start with you, Catherine.”

“In a general sense, is it proportionate? You can say, “I cannot say.””

“Is that proportionate? Is that right, being frontloaded?”

“But overall, do you think the current process is proportionate and it delivers the right outcomes?”

“You say it is difficult to say, but you are the interim chief planning inspector. If anyone has a view on the planning process, surely it should be you.”

“Do you think the current requirements of the DCO are proportionate? Do they deliver the best outcome?”

“But given the scale of pre-application and the DCO process, taking years, you are talking tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds spent. Lower Thames is not nuclear, but it is a prime example. Surely, having a longer inspection process and more dialogue through the inspection process might be a quicker way to delive…”

“Are the requirements to consider alternative sites in EN-7 proportionate?”

“I have been looking through the interim report from the taskforce at the part on re-evaluation of the ALARP process. Do you agree with the general view that it needs re-evaluation, and that the term “reasonably practicable” is a particular challenge in planning?”

“The taskforce said, “Interpretation currently fosters a culture of risk aversion and reluctance to challenge and debate, impacting costs and time.” Do you recognise that?”

“The regulatory taskforce remarked that nuclear projects often spend years in pre-application stage before an application for DCO is even submitted. Why is that? Does it reflect gaps in Government guidance or just the fact that it is a complex process?”

“But do you recognise that? Do you see that it drives risk aversion and increases costs?”

“Thank you. I do genuinely think that it is a complete waste of time, and it is a waste of public money, because we are all paying for staff to respond to template emails, but I will get off my high horse and move on. Stephanie, is it possible to depolarise climate debates and foster dialogue between opposing groups?”

“From your experience—particularly from the Climate Assembly UK—what are the design features that make assemblies effective, particularly when you are dealing with a highly sceptical audience?”

“From your experience—particularly from the Climate Assembly UK—what are the design features that make assemblies effective, particularly when you are dealing with a highly sceptical audience?”

“Thank you, Chair. I will ask questions around civic forums and citizens’ assemblies, and probably start with a very open question. Stephanie, I will come to you because I know Involve was responsible for facilitating the Climate Assembly UK. Do you think citizens’ assemblies have a role to play in informing and changin…”