Angela Smith
Main Page: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)(13 years, 5 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Charles Hendry
My hon. Friend emphasises absolutely the right point. We have a challenge coming in 2016 when one third of our coal plant will close. Another large chunk of coal will go towards the end of the decade, and most of our nuclear plant will close during this decade. Had it not been for the five-year moratorium on nuclear under the previous Government, we would have been five years ahead, and the energy security of this country would have been greatly enhanced.
Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)
As was mentioned earlier, it is critical to advance manufacturing that the new generation of power stations goes ahead. Companies such as Forgemasters are looking for certainty. Will the Minister guarantee that the building of new stations will go ahead, even if it proves necessary to provide some public subsidy?
Charles Hendry
We have said that we want international companies to look at the opportunities in Britain, and we are encouraged that it is increasingly becoming one of the most attractive places in the world for investment in new nuclear. We will remove barriers to investment, but there will not be public subsidy for such work, and companies are not asking for that. We are creating the right framework for investment to take place.