Speeches by Reader.

“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?”

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

“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 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…”

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

“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.”

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

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

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

“Still dealing with Polly’s question, and Julia, this is specifically for you: there is a challenge in deploying high-quality engineering skills—project management and cost management—in that the way taxation works, if a company deploys that person long term, after two years they start getting hit by taxation on accommo…”

“I will start with you, Alastair. Do we actually need EN-7? There is still a criteria-based approach, so you are driven to choose sites that are safe and secure. There are operational requirements, which means you need cooling and a transport network. There is also the issue of brownfield sites. Surely you are just goin…”

“Tom, the selection criteria do not pick up a lot on suitably qualified and experienced persons resource availability, and it was a key recommendation of the independent taskforce report that we have this kind of challenge around SQEP. Should that have been more of a consideration about where these sites go?”

“Does that not fly in the face a bit of the Government’s place-based approach? If you are going to stick an SMR in the east of England, Bedfordshire, you are competing for resources with a theme park, a railway, and airport expansion. Shouldn’t this be part of the consideration on the DCO—can you build the thing with th…”

“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?”