Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
EN-7 fails to provide a joined-up approach across regulatory regimes, delaying progress.
Conclusion
We are deeply concerned that EN-7 fails to present a truly joined- up approach across planning, safety, and environmental regulation. The absence of robust mechanisms to coordinate these regimes risks undermining the very purpose of an NPS: to provide a definitive and coherent framework for decision-making. If the Government’s objective is to bring forward new projects efficiently, then it must confront the reality that regulatory fragmentation continues to delay progress. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30)
Government Response Summary
The government is developing supplementary guidance to clarify interactions between regulatory regimes and commits to working with regulators and industry for greater alignment. They will also consider the recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce and respond in due course.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We recognise the importance of effective coordination between planning, safety, and environmental regulation in the delivery of new nuclear projects. We are committed to ensuring that EN-7 provides a clear and coherent framework for decision-making, while respecting the distinct roles and statutory responsibilities of each regulatory regime. The draft EN-7 has been developed in close consultation with nuclear regulators to minimise duplication and ensure that applicants are guided to engage with the appropriate regulators at the correct stages of the consenting process. We are also developing supplementary guidance to further clarify these interactions and provide applicants with up-to-date contact details and expectations for engagement. We acknowledge the Committee’s concern regarding potential regulatory fragmentation. To address this, we will continue to work with regulators and industry to identify opportunities for greater alignment and to streamline processes where possible, without compromising safety or environmental standards. We will also consider the recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce and will respond in due course. We remain committed to updating EN-7 and its supplementary guidance as lessons are learned and best practice evolves, ensuring that the planning framework remains robust, proportionate, and fit for purpose.