Hutton’s “March Madness” Over Nuclear

 

Commenting on reports that the Business and Enterprise Secretary will today (Wednesday) call for a massive expansion of nuclear energy in the UK, Mike Weir MP, the SNP Westminster spokesperson on Energy, said that the Secretary of State appeared to have succumbed to a bout of “March Madness”.

 

Mr Weir said:

 

“John Hutton seems to have succumbed to a severe bout of March madness in proposing a massive expansion of nuclear power in the UK.

 

“The UK government are becoming increasingly obsessed with the illusion that nuclear power is the “silver bullet” to tackle climate change. This is completely crazy given that there is no solution to the huge problems associated with nuclear power, particularly the disposal of nuclear waste.

 

“The cost of disposing of historic waste is escalating alarmingly with the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency now swallowing almost half of DBERR’s annual budget. There is no realistic plan or timescale for the proposed national depository nor is it clear how the energy companies are to meet their “full share”, to use the government’s rather evasive words, of the cost.

 

“Rather than chase the illusion of a nuclear ‘quick fix’ the UK government needs to put serious effort into developing renewable resources.

 

“Thankfully Scotland has an SNP government that will prevent this nuclear madness spreading north of the border.”