John Leech MP says "Nuclear Power? - No Thanks!"

3.54.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 20th Jul 2006

Case not yet made for more Nuclear

Manchester Withington Liberal Democrat MP John Leech has attacked the Government's attempts to return to nuclear power.  He is backing a parliamentary motion saying to the Government that "the case for new nuclear build in the UK has not been made." He believes that more research is needed on how to dispose of highly toxic nuclear waste safely.

John Leech MP said:

"The Prime Minister seems hell-bent on building a new generation of nuclear power stations.  The Government has not even published its own Energy Review yet.  Despite this, it seems though that Tony Blair has already made up his mind to support more nuclear power plants. Such a vital decision will affect this country for generations and should not be rushed into because of the Government's quick-fix approach."

 "Instead of going for the nuclear option the Government should look into the sustainable alternatives - such as solar and tidal power along with energy saving measures.  It is quite clear that nuclear power should have no role in the future energy supply in this country - there is absolutely no solution yet to nuclear waste and the Government has not made the economic case for these plants. Not a single nuclear plant has been built anywhere in the world by private investors without huge government subsidy since the Chernobyl and Three Mile Island disasters.Other countries like Germany and Sweden have opted for a non-nuclear future and are making good progress with energy saving and renewables."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Early Day Motion 2204

NEW NUCLEAR BUILD

17.05.2006

That this House believes that the argument for new nuclear build in the UK has not been made; notes that even with an accelerated planning system, new nuclear power stations could not contribute either to plugging the `energy gap' or to carbon reductions by 2020 when existing electricity generating capacity is run down and carbon emissions have to be curbed; further notes that existing electricity generation is provided by 40 per cent. gas, 33 per cent. coal, 19 per cent. nuclear and four per cent. renewables, that massive investment in new infrastructure is providing for a diversity of gas supply from many countries including Norway, with Russian gas only around one per cent. and that new clean coal technologies are now available; further notes that the supply of wind power is growing faster than predicted, and that in Germany wind power capacity is already equivalent to UK nuclear capacity; further believes that new nuclear build would be inconsistent with environmental sustainability, adding to the legacy of highly toxic nuclear waste and the huge public cost of decommissioning and storage; urges the Government to see the bigger picture in which electricity accounts for just 18 per cent. of total energy consumed and energy use by sector was last recorded as 36 per cent. transport, 30 per cent. domestic, 21 per cent. industry and 13 per cent. other; and further urges the Government to recognise the enormous potential for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by energy efficiency and conservation, greater use of combined heat and power, and rapid investment in the full range of renewable technologies, including microgeneration.