Nuclear research and development capabilities
Auteur: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Science and Technology Committee
Nombre de pages: 116 pages
ISBN: 0108473953, 9780108473951
Edition: The Stationery Office
Date de publication: The Stationery Office
Description: The Science and Technology Committee concludes that the Government is too complacent about the UK's nuclear research and development (R&D) capabilities, and associated expertise, which will be lost unless there is a fundamental change in the Government's approach. The Committee's key recommendations include: the development of a long-term strategy for nuclear energy looking beyond 2025, outlining support for R&D through an R&D Roadmap and for the commercial exploitation of the UK's current strengths in nuclear research; the establishment of a Nuclear R&D Board, made up of industry, academic and government partners, to develop and implement the R&D roadmap and help to improve the co-ordination of R&D activities to protect vulnerable areas of research and close gaps in capabilities. Many of the UK's experts in R&D on nuclear energy are nearing retirement age, and a lack of investment over the last two decades means that the UK is now in danger of being in a position where it will be unable to ensure a safe and secure supply of nuclear energy up to 2050. The Government must take steps now to ensure that there is a new generation of experts, together with R&D, on which the nuclear industry, Government and the regulator rely.