The UK government has said it will encourage a new era of British nuclear energy generation and take forward proposals in a recent review that include a comprehensive reform of the regulatory framework as “a matter of strategic national importance”.

In the King's Speech given at the state opening of parliament on 13 May, King Charles said: “My Ministers will also take forward recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Review and encourage a new era of British nuclear energy generation [Nuclear Regulation Bill].”

The King’s speech set out the programme of legislation that the government intends to pursue in the forthcoming parliamentary session.

In a 2025 review, an independent nuclear regulatory taskforce set up by the Labour government of Keir Starmer examined all aspects of the regulation of civil and defence nuclear.