Member News
Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger called upon the government to ensure investment for a new build nuclear power at Hinkley Point.
In November 2009, the Labour government approved sites for the building of 10 new nuclear power stations, seven of which already host nuclear plants.
During a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday, the Bridgewater and West Somerset MP emphasised the important economic contribution that Hinkley Point makes to his local area and called for "decisive action" on nuclear power.
"Make it worthwhile in Somerset to build Hinkley," Liddell-Grainger said.
He said that the new power station in his constituency will "create 900 permanent jobs and roughly 5,000 people will be needed just to build the new plant."
Liddell-Grainger said that some sort of compensation would be needed for putting a new power station "slap-bang" in the middle of England's countryside.
Encouraging a "new generation" of nuclear professionals is also needed.
The minister for energy and climate change Charles Hendry said the Hinkley Point power station was of national significance.
Hendry said: "Hinkley will play an important role in our future electricity generation, if it goes ahead."
He added that the government was working to reform many areas connected to the nuclear industry, including the planning system, the regulator, and the disposal of waste.
On the nuclear skills issues, the minister said that he was "pleased that there have been collaborative projects-for example involving the nuclear advanced manufacturing research centre, to which the government have committed more than £33m."
Independent advisors the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) expect the first planning application for the batch of new sites to be submitted by the end of 2010.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd