---

UK Government's Energy Policy

I thank the right hon. Lady for that. I do welcome it very much, but not as much as the Member of Parliament for the Wylfa area, because one of the amazing things about nuclear power stations is that the most enthusiastic supporters tend to be the people in whose constituencies they are built—once things have had time to settle down—because of the wide range of well-paid, highly skilled jobs that they provide. Even MPs—dare I say it?—whose political parties are not known for supporting nuclear power have a sudden change of heart when somebody threatens to close one down in their constituencies. The hon. Member for Newport West, who is no longer in his place, asked me, ““How would you like it if there was one in Monmouthshire?”” The answer is that no one wants to live next door to a nuclear power station, or a gas-fired power station, a coal station or an industrial estate of any sort. We all like our houses to be in nice residential areas with other houses. My constituency is opposite the Oldbury nuclear power station, which has been there for many years, but it has not been a big problem for the vast majority of people in the constituency, and it will not be if it is rebuilt.