Labour Continue to Peddle Nuclear Myth

 

Speaking after an exchange at Scottish Questions today (Wednesday), SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, accused Scotland Office Minister David Cairns of continuing to “peddle the nuclear myth”.

 

Mr Weir said:

 

“However hard David Cairns tries to peddle the nuclear myth, the fact of the matter is that nuclear power generation is at its lowest level in Scotland this decade.

 

“Figures from the UK Government itself show that in 2006, the last year for which figures were available, just 26% of energy was from nuclear sources, not the 44% claimed by the Scotland Office Minister.

 

“The truth is that the contribution of nuclear is falling whilst that of renewables is rising. The hydro project being constructed at Glendoe will alone provide enough electricity from water to serve a city the size of Glasgow.

 

“Scotland neither needs nor wants new nuclear power stations. London Labour are not only at variance with the Scottish Parliament and people, but even with many of their own Scottish representatives who oppose new nuclear power stations.”     

 

 

A transcript of the exchange at Scottish Questions is detailed below:

 

Anne Moffat MP: Mr Speaker, does my right honourable friend agree with me that nuclear power generates more electricity than any other power in Scotland, and does he also agree with me that the Scottish Executive is irresponsible and short-sighted to rule out building any new nuclear power stations.

 

David Cairns MP (Minister of State for Scotland): Mr Speaker, factually my honourable friend is absolutely correct, nuclear power is responsible for producing about 40% of Scotland’s electricity, I believe that it should be part of a balanced portfolio of energy, which includes renewables, which has a very important part to play, includes clean coal, and of course carbon capture and storage, and I agree with her on her criticism of the Scottish Executive.

 

Mr Speaker: Mike Weir MP

 

Mike Weir MP: Thank you Mr Speaker. The Minister is of course quite wrong. Indeed, the last figures from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform themselves show that nuclear only had 26% of generation, and was in fact falling as renewables rises. Is the future not in renewable energy, like the Glendoe hyrdo station, which itself, when it comes online, will have enough energy to cover the whole of Glasgow.

 

David Cairns MP (Minister of State for Scotland): Mr Speaker, I support the Glendoe hydro scheme. It was a scheme consented by the last Labour-led Executive, and I support it. The fact of the matter is, even if we accept his figures, which are only the case because of outages, temporary outages, at Hunterston. Historically speaking, nuclear power is responsible for 40% of electricity. How is he going to replace that, he cant replace it with intermittent renewables, and he is attempting to con the Scottish people if he says he can.