To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether British Nuclear Group sites apart from Sellafield have retained body parts for scientific purposes; and whether consent to do so has always been sought.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether British Nuclear Group sites apart from Sellafield have retained body parts for scientific purposes; and whether consent to do so has always been sought.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alistair Darling) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I would like to make a Statement regarding a joint proposal from BNFL and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority about the process for implementing the sale of BNFL’s subsidiary, British...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alistair Darling) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I would like to make a Statement regarding a joint proposal from BNFL and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority about the process for implementing the sale of BNFL’s subsidiary, British...

I would like to make a statement regarding a joint proposal from BNFL and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority about the process for implementing the sale of BNFL’s subsidiary, British Nuclear Group. I would also like to make a statement on the establishment of a National Nuclear Laboratory to safeguard key...

I would like to make a statement regarding a joint proposal from BNFL and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority about the process for implementing the sale of BNFL’s subsidiary, British Nuclear Group. I would also like to make a statement on the establishment of a National Nuclear Laboratory to safeguard key...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with (a) the British Nuclear Group, (b) the National Decommissioning Authority and (c) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on the proposed sale of British Nuclear Fuels Limited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with (a) the British Nuclear Group, (b) the National Decommissioning Authority and (c) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on the proposed sale of British Nuclear Fuels Limited.

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that contribution. He is absolutely correct; indeed, I could not have put it better myself. Speaking as a member of a local community surrounding a nuclear facility, I can say that that is precisely what such communities believe. I return to the litany of...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that contribution. He is absolutely correct; indeed, I could not have put it better myself. Speaking as a member of a local community surrounding a nuclear facility, I can say that that is precisely what such communities believe. I return to the litany of...

Adjournment debate on the future of British Nuclear Group.

Adjournment debate on the future of British Nuclear Group.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate, despite being late, and I apologise to my hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Mr. Reed) for missing the first few minutes of his speech. I was taken by surprise, but I should have learned that about this place....

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate, despite being late, and I apologise to my hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Mr. Reed) for missing the first few minutes of his speech. I was taken by surprise, but I should have learned that about this place....

I have already paid tribute to the skills of our work force in the nuclear industry. Those skills need to be safeguarded and we need to think about the future when, as with other parts of the energy sector—oil and gas—demographic trends mean that the average age of workers is...

I have already paid tribute to the skills of our work force in the nuclear industry. Those skills need to be safeguarded and we need to think about the future when, as with other parts of the energy sector—oil and gas—demographic trends mean that the average age of workers is...

An important issue came up in my broad-ranging discussions in the US last week with Ron Ault from the AFL-CIO—the US equivalent to the TUC—when we were talking about companies that might have an interest in BNG and which could have a direct impact on the lives of people in...

An important issue came up in my broad-ranging discussions in the US last week with Ron Ault from the AFL-CIO—the US equivalent to the TUC—when we were talking about companies that might have an interest in BNG and which could have a direct impact on the lives of people in...

I agree with my hon. Friend. The BNG sale enables us to assess the best bidders and to draw on their expertise, but he is right that Britain has great skills when it comes to nuclear energy. Indeed, we are very good at energy as a whole and we need...

I agree with my hon. Friend. The BNG sale enables us to assess the best bidders and to draw on their expertise, but he is right that Britain has great skills when it comes to nuclear energy. Indeed, we are very good at energy as a whole and we need...

Does my hon. Friend agree that decommissioning represents a global rather than a purely national challenge? Increasingly, global relationships will have an impact on the nuclear industry. We have expertise in some areas, but will also have to borrow expertise from other parts of the world. Likewise, other countries will...

Does my hon. Friend agree that decommissioning represents a global rather than a purely national challenge? Increasingly, global relationships will have an impact on the nuclear industry. We have expertise in some areas, but will also have to borrow expertise from other parts of the world. Likewise, other countries will...

After the previous debate on MPs’ pay, it is good to turn to the calmer and less controversial waters of nuclear energy. I welcome the opportunity to comment on the future of the British Nuclear Group. My hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Mr. Reed) is a great commentator on...

After the previous debate on MPs’ pay, it is good to turn to the calmer and less controversial waters of nuclear energy. I welcome the opportunity to comment on the future of the British Nuclear Group. My hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Mr. Reed) is a great commentator on...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree with me that, where nuclear power stations do exist, local communities have come to accept them and value the contribution that they make to such communities, and to the wider generation of electricity throughout the country?

Does the hon. Gentleman agree with me that, where nuclear power stations do exist, local communities have come to accept them and value the contribution that they make to such communities, and to the wider generation of electricity throughout the country?

I am delighted to have secured this debate today on a subject of pivotal importance to my constituency. In fact, although it is of real importance to a number of constituencies throughout the country, nowhere will the effect of the sale of British Nuclear Group be more acutely felt than...

I am delighted to have secured this debate today on a subject of pivotal importance to my constituency. In fact, although it is of real importance to a number of constituencies throughout the country, nowhere will the effect of the sale of British Nuclear Group be more acutely felt than...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discount rate has been used to calculate the nuclear liabilities of British Nuclear Group in preparation for its sale by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discount rate has been used to calculate the nuclear liabilities of British Nuclear Group in preparation for its sale by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on plans to privatise the British Nuclear Group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on plans to privatise the British Nuclear Group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Health and Safety Executive will decide whether to prosecute British Nuclear Group over the leak at the Thorp reprocessing plant in April 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Health and Safety Executive will decide whether to prosecute British Nuclear Group over the leak at the Thorp reprocessing plant in April 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money HM Treasury estimates it will receive from the sale of British Nuclear Group; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money HM Treasury estimates it will receive from the sale of British Nuclear Group; and if he will make a statement.

I have this week written to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, to confirm that I have approved its first strategy. Full details will be provided by the NDA when it publishes the strategy later today. After carefully considering the views of key stakeholders, including the NDA, the regulators and the unions,...

I have this week written to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, to confirm that I have approved its first strategy. Full details will be provided by the NDA when it publishes the strategy later today. After carefully considering the views of key stakeholders, including the NDA, the regulators and the unions,...