A bill which will establish a domestic nuclear safeguards regime has been introduced to Parliament today.

The Nuclear Safeguards Bill aims to bolster the roles and responsibilities of the UK’s existing nuclear regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), once the UK leaves the EU and Euratom.

Last month Energy Secretary Greg Clark committed to delivering the new regime to existing Euratom standards and exceed the standard the international community would require from the UK as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Energy Minister Richard Harrington said: “The Nuclear Safeguards Bill will help secure the future of the UK’s nuclear industry and high standards of nuclear safety and safeguards once we leave Euratom.

“We are bringing forward the UK’s first new nuclear power plants in a generation and it is in our mutual benefit to maintain the successful working relationship we have now with Europe and the rest of the world on nuclear matters. This is what we will be looking to secure in negotiations with our partners.”