Extracts from Commons
debate on the Queen's Speech
(Poole) (Con):..Nuclear power
is very important. We can see the mistake the Germans made in
announcing the closure of their nuclear power stations and their
dependency on Russian gas. We need to replace many of the Magnox
stations that are going to go offline. This is an exciting time.
I hope we get a decision on Sizewell soon. I am particularly
pleased that Rolls-Royce has,
with its partners, come up with a scheme for smaller nuclear
power stations. I think that is going to be a game changer for
the United Kingdom and it could be a game changer for exports to
many countries that wish to avail themselves of safe nuclear
power, so I think that is good...
: On my hon. Friend’s first two subjects, I
wonder if he would reflect on the fact that both in terms of
nuclear power and agriculture we have the freedom and flexibility
that come from his and my vote to leave the European Union. On
nuclear power, he will recall the blood-curdling predictions that
we would fail in that particular industry by departing from
Euratom all those years ago. Does he agree that, along with the
French now, we can position ourselves as the only two serious
nuclear powers in Europe?
: That is absolutely so.
The original design teams for British nuclear power were taken
apart. To have a productive nuclear power industry, we need
continued investment in new plants. The good thing about what has
happened at Hinkley C, Sizewell and Rolls-Royce is
that we are getting design teams together and collaborating with
other partners. That will be a major game changer in terms of
Britain being able to produce the power we need in future...
(Dudley North) (Con): On
the very point of small modular reactors, does the hon. Member
recognise that the Government have invested some £220 million
at Rolls-Royce
It is not just talk, as he asserts.
(Preston)
(Lab/Co-op): Yes, and Mike Tynan, formerly of Westinghouse,
who is a good friend of mine—he still lives near Preston—has been
involved through the Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Sheffield
and done a great deal of work in the area. After 12 years, I am
glad that the Government finally see the benefit of that for the
future, but it has taken the instability of the wholesale energy
markets to bring that about. I would have liked to have seen it
much earlier in this Government’s tenure or within Labour’s
tenure. It should not take a war for us to move in that
direction...
Extract from Lords
debate on the Queen's Speech
(Con): We also need to
remember that many of them are not particularly poor. I have
spent all my life among the richer end of the trade unions. The
union for the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers’ technical
and administrative support staff, known as AUEW TASS, had the
people who designed Rolls-Royce engines.
It had some of the most highly skilled people building for
Britain and dealing with the defence industries. In my time here,
I have dealt with hospital consultants. I wonder how many people
here realise that there is a hospital consultants’ trade union
affiliated to the TUC, but there is, and it does valuable work...
