Top Tories visit Sellafield on “Energy Coast” tour
As mentioned last Friday, shadow cabinet member Greg Clark MP and his colleague Charles Hendry MP visited Sellafield on Thursday and Friday as part of a tour of “Energy Coast Masterplan” related sites in West Cumbria which included the National Nuclear Skills academy, National Nuclear Laboratory, Thorp, the port of Workington, and meetings with the NDA, Nuclear Management Partners, and the Unions.
Greg Clark, shadow secretary of state for Energy and Climate change, said it was highly appropriate that Sellafield should be part of the first regional tour by the Conservative Energy and Climate Change team since the team was set up a few months ago to shadow the newly created department. He emphasised that the Conservatives see diversity of energy supply as vital to Britain’s energy security and are committed to removing any obstacles which might otherwise prevent a new generation of nuclear power plants from forming one important part of that diverse energy supply.
Charles Hendry added that this is a most exciting time for the nuclear industry and that the Conservatives want West Cumbria to be the foremost centre of nuclear expertise in the world.
Recognising that skills and training are both an essential part of the infrastructure needed to support nuclear investment, and needed to protect the environment, the tour began and ended with visits to educational facilities: the national Nuclear Skills academy, and the Eco Centre at Cockermouth School.
In response to questions, both Greg Clark and Charles Hendry made clear that they wanted to see a cross-party consensus between the Conservatives and Labour so that potential investors in nuclear power would know that their money would not be lost in the event of a change in government. Both the Conservatives and Labour support the principle that new nuclear build has a role to play if the economics are right. The fact that companies are coming forward to express an interest in building nuclear power plans shows that those companies believe the economics are right.
Charles Hendry added “I think nuclear is every bit as likely if not more likely to happen under us as under Labour, because of the urgency which we would come into address some of the delays."
Greg Clark, shadow secretary of state for Energy and Climate change, said it was highly appropriate that Sellafield should be part of the first regional tour by the Conservative Energy and Climate Change team since the team was set up a few months ago to shadow the newly created department. He emphasised that the Conservatives see diversity of energy supply as vital to Britain’s energy security and are committed to removing any obstacles which might otherwise prevent a new generation of nuclear power plants from forming one important part of that diverse energy supply.
Charles Hendry added that this is a most exciting time for the nuclear industry and that the Conservatives want West Cumbria to be the foremost centre of nuclear expertise in the world.
Recognising that skills and training are both an essential part of the infrastructure needed to support nuclear investment, and needed to protect the environment, the tour began and ended with visits to educational facilities: the national Nuclear Skills academy, and the Eco Centre at Cockermouth School.
In response to questions, both Greg Clark and Charles Hendry made clear that they wanted to see a cross-party consensus between the Conservatives and Labour so that potential investors in nuclear power would know that their money would not be lost in the event of a change in government. Both the Conservatives and Labour support the principle that new nuclear build has a role to play if the economics are right. The fact that companies are coming forward to express an interest in building nuclear power plans shows that those companies believe the economics are right.
Charles Hendry added “I think nuclear is every bit as likely if not more likely to happen under us as under Labour, because of the urgency which we would come into address some of the delays."
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