Nuclear power

The Lib Dems are firmly opposed to the use of nuclear power as a source of energy for a number of important reasons. Firstly there are environmental issues to be considered. There is no solution to the problem of nuclear waste, which already is in quantities sufficient to cover an enormous acreage. There is now enough nuclear waste to fill the Albert Hall five times over, and it is increasing all the time. Much of it will remain dangerously radioactive for thousands of years.

Further to this, there are huge financial problems to contend with. We need to realise that nuclear power is not a cheaper alternative to renewable power. We are currently facing a bill in excess of £50 billion just to clean up the existing problems the nuclear industry has created. Furthermore both British Energy and British Nuclear Fuels are effectively bankrupt, propped up only by the state. The fuel source that was supposed to be "too cheap to meter" is now too expensive to afford.

It is also true that in view of recent terrorist incidents here and abroad, the presence of further nuclear facilities poses a viable target for attack. On the other hand, it is unlikely that terrorists will target solar panels or wind turbines.

Unless we can overcome these enormous difficulties, I firmly believe that a further generation of nuclear power is not an option for meeting our energy needs and for tackling climate change.

Central to the argument of those advocating nuclear power is the implicit suggestion that without it, we will either have an energy gap or an over-reliance on carbon-emitting fuels. This is simply not so. A sensible energy mix, which also provides security of supply, is one which seeks to cut energy demand, probably by a third, through established energy efficient measures; develops a basket of renewable services; and uses cleaned-up fossil fuels, coupled with carbon capture technologies.

The Lib Dems would like to see introduced an Energy Conservation Bill that would encourage businesses and homeowners to adopt Combined Heat and Power schemes, and we would lower VAT on energy saving materials. We would require electricity generators to provide 60% of electricity sales from renewable sources by 2050, compared to the government's unadventurous target of 10% by 2010.

I proposed a motion on this matter in the House of Commons earlier this year, and my speech can be found here in Hansard

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