Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:23 pm on 10 January 2023.
Actually, the cyclotron at Cardiff University that provides the PET scanners in Cardiff was one with which we had a particular problem. So, our challenge is, right across the UK, we don't produce enough. We significantly import those as it stands. And for all the potential of cyclotrons, we don't think—. The advice that I'm being given, the base on which we're planning, is that that isn't going in itself to deal with all of our needs. And that's the point: how do we deal with all of our needs for a modern healthcare system? We're talking about a very significantly different scale of proposal compared to the former Horizon proposal on Wylfa. So, it's nothing like the same scale.
When it comes to the characterisation of the Jules Horowitz reactor in France, our understanding is it's not going to be ready in the time frame that we want it to be, and indeed that it's not primarily being built for medical radioisotope production. There are different conversations that appear to have been had, but I've had direct conversations with officials in the Welsh Government office for science, within the NHS and economic development, and we do think that there is a need and a gap to be filled. We believe that north-west Wales is the most likely area of the UK for that to happen, and where we would like it happen, because of the potential to secure both the supply for health service use, but also for the economic development potential that would come alongside it as well.
I recognise the Member has an entirely upfront, broadly sceptical view to a range of these issues, and concerns around safety and what would happen. I think it's entirely legitimate to keep on asking those questions. We'll keep on developing the proposal and we'll need to make choices around securing future funding. I look forward to engaging with him and partners constructively about that, even if we don't always agree on every single aspect of it.