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Press Release

Anglo-French summit

17 February 2012

The NIA have today welcomed the news that the UK has signed deals with France to strengthen cooperation in the development of civil nuclear energy.

The agreements signal not only a commitment to civil nuclear power, but to establishing a framework for security, research & development and training.

As well as ensuring British/French collaboration the agreement is underpinned by initial commercial contracts worth more than £500 million and the creation of more than 1,500 jobs across the United Kingdom.

The agreements being signed today represent a significant strengthening of the relationship between France and the UK, and signal the emergence of a competitive supply chain capable of being exported. These represent the first orders for the UK new nuclear programme taking us ever closer to our objective of securing a low carbon future for the UK, with nuclear at its heart.

Prime Minister David Cameron has marked this as “just the beginning" of investment which the Government believes could be worth £60 billion and create 30,000 jobs.

In response to today's summit the Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association Keith Parker said, “This is a great moment for the nuclear industry and the first wave of contracts that will not only create jobs across the UK, but will also provide essential investment in British manufacturing.”

“With each nuclear site an infrastructure project on the scale of the 2012 Olympics, the opportunities available to UK companies are tremendous for those already involved in nuclear and for those looking to become part of the supply chain. A recent poll showed new nuclear build labelled the infrastructure project 'best for Britain' - it is essential that UK companies capitalise on what is to be a major growth sector.”



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Nuclear Industry Association

Nuclear Industry Association

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