HAS LABOUR’S ENVIRONMENT SHADOW ACCEPTED NUCLEAR POWER?

For Immediate Release - Friday 29th October 2010



Attn: NEWS DESKS


POLITICAL / ENVIRONMENTAL CORRESPONDENTS


BOYACK CHALLENGED AS NUCLEAR LOBBY WINNING OUT WITH LABOUR


Labour’s Scottish Rural Affairs & Environment spokesperson, Sarah Boyack, has been challenged before her speech to the Labour conference in Oban today (Friday) by SNP MSP Shirley Anne Somerville - a member of the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee - who has asked if she now agreed with nuclear power after Labour’s latest policy document indicated its support for a generation of new nuclear power stations in Scotland.


According to the Report of Labour’s Scottish Policy Forum – “Ideas for a Fairer Scotland” – it says that Labour “believe the SNP are wrong to rule out the building of new nuclear power stations".


Yet even when Labour were in power in Scotland Sarah Boyack was tabling motions criticising nuclear powers and said that new nuclear plants would be inconsistent with environmental sustainability.


Commenting Ms Somerville said:


"Sarah Boyack and a number of other Labour MSPs are among the majority of MSPs opposed to nuclear, not least because the waste issue has never been resolved.


“She must now come clean. Does she support a new generation of nuclear powers stations in Scotland and if she does what has changed her mind?


"The SNP Government's energy position is very clear - we will focus on developing the comparative advantage that Scotland has in clean, green energy. Not only making a better environment but working to create jobs in the growing renewables industry.


“We have passed some of the most ambitious climate change legislation in the world by replacing the targets inherited from the Labour-led Executive with higher targets in both recycling and renewable energy:


“And we have approved more renewable energy applications in our first 18 months than the Labour-led Executive did in four years. The SNP has set a target of 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Labour should leave their nuclear ambitions aside and sign up to the green future for Scotland the SNP support.


"The question for Sarah Boyack is one about her credibility. Has she now abandoned those principles she held so dear only a few years ago."


ENDS


Notes:


1. On page 28 of the Report of Labour’s Scottish Policy Forum “Ideas for a Fairer Scotland” it reads:


“We believe the SNP are wrong to rule out the building of new nuclear power stations"


2. Sarah Boyack: Tabled two motions supported by other Labour MSPs (One by Marlyn Glen, Maureen Macmillan and Cathy Peattie who also supported another along with Trish Godman, Pauline McNeill and Kate Maclean)


(A) S2M-4428 Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab) : The Energy Challenge


That the Parliament believes that the argument for new nuclear build in the United Kingdom has not been made; notes that, even with an accelerated planning system, new nuclear power stations could not contribute either to plugging the "energy gap" or to carbon reductions by 2020 when existing electricity generating capacity is run down and carbon emissions have to be curbed; further notes that existing Scottish electricity generation is provided 22% by gas, 26% by coal, 35% by nuclear and 13% by renewables but that around 17% of electricity generated in Scotland is exported; further notes that massive investment in new infrastructure across the UK is providing for a diversity of gas supply from many countries including Norway, with Russian gas only contributing around 1%, and that new clean coal technologies are now available; also notes that the supply of wind power is growing faster than predicted and that in Germany wind power capacity is already equivalent to UK nuclear capacity; further believes that new nuclear build would be inconsistent with environmental sustainability, adding to the legacy of highly toxic nuclear waste and the huge public cost of decommissioning and storage; urges the Scottish Executive to see the bigger picture in which electricity accounts for just 19% of total energy consumed in Scotland and carbon emissions by sector were last recorded as 17% transport, 11% domestic, 12% business and 37% energy supply, and further urges the Executive to recognise the enormous potential for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by energy efficiency and conservation, greater use of combined heat and power and rapid investment in the full range of renewable technologies, including microgeneration and biomass.


(lodged on 22 May 2006)



Supported by: Mr Brian Adam, Roseanna Cunningham, Marlyn Glen, Christine Grahame, Robin Harper, Mr Adam Ingram, Nora Radcliffe, Mr Mark Ruskell, Tommy Sheridan, Ms Rosemary Byrne, Maureen Macmillan, Chris Ballance, Linda Fabiani, Richard Lochhead, Jean Turner, Rosie Kane, Ms Maureen Watt, Cathy Peattie


(B) S2M-4061 Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab) : Nuclear Power in Scotland


That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the Sustainable Development Commission's nuclear review which evaluates the contribution of nuclear power in a low carbon economy; acknowledges the survey for BBC Scotland's Energy Week which found that more than 52% of people prefer renewable energy resources and 51% oppose nuclear power stations being built in Scotland; notes the Scottish Executive's current position that there will be no support for the further development of nuclear power stations while waste management issues remain unresolved; believes that underground, retrievable, monitored storage is not a long-term or sustainable solution for nuclear waste; supports the conclusion that nuclear power is not the answer to tackling climate change or security of supply, and urges the maximum use of energy efficiency measures, alongside renewable energy and micro-generation capacity, to meet the energy needs of people in Scotland.


(lodged on 6 March 2006)


Supported by: Mr Brian Adam, Bruce Crawford, Marlyn Glen, Trish Godman, Donald Gorrie, Christine Grahame, Robin Harper, Maureen Macmillan, Pauline McNeill, Nora Radcliffe, Iain Smith, Shiona Baird, Ms Rosemary Byrne, Patrick Harvie, Kate Maclean, Eleanor Scott, Tommy Sheridan, Mr Adam Ingram, Cathy Peattie, Chris Ballance, Mike Pringle, Linda Fabiani, Rosie Kane