The UK Government's spending review has been labelled 'great news' for Anglesey.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak has committed up to £525m towards the development of large scale and advanced nuclear technology research and development in nuclear power generation.

The Spending Review, which he outlined yesterday in Parliament, states: “Nuclear power provides a reliable source of low-carbon electricity. SR20 provides over £125 million for nuclear technologies in 2021-22, as part of up to £525 million set out in the Ten Point Plan, including £385 million for an Advanced Nuclear Fund.”

Virginia Crosbie, Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, welcomed announcement saying: “This is great news for Anglesey".

Anglesey is already positioned as the UK’s “Energy Island” with a plethora of innovative power generation enterprises establishing themselves locally and proposals for a nuclear power plant at Wylfa Newydd still under discussion.

The Chancellor’s announcement follows the commitment to nuclear generation made by the Prime Minister in his Ten Point Plan last week.

"The UK Government is making a clear and unequivocal commitment to nuclear power as a cornerstone of its pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050," said Ms Crosbie.

“The Government is not simply backing research into new generation small nuclear reactors but to supporting the development of large-scale reactors such as that under discussion for Wylfa Newydd.

“With the knowledge, skills and drive we have locally in enterprises such as M-Sparc, Anglesey has the opportunity to capitalise on the Chancellor’s commitment and develop our local research and development capacity.

"In doing so we could enhance not just the nuclear agenda but also the production of hydrogen which is a by-product of nuclear production and will be critical to our future energy security.

"We must capitalise on this opportunity to develop local business and employment."

“I am consistently working towards raising Anglesey’s profile as the Energy Island. In conjunction with my colleague, the MP for Copeland, Trudy Harrison, I have established the new Nuclear Delivery Group in which industry leaders are working together to develop the roadmap we need to deliver net-zero by 2050.

“Along with my Welsh Conservative MP colleagues, I remain committed to making Wylfa Newydd happen and I have been delighted recently to hear the Prime Minister publicly backing the project. I am working hard behind the scenes to push the project forward as a key part of both the net-zero commitment but also the UK Government’s levelling up agenda.”