The government yesterday postponed next month's energy white paper after admitting it failed to consult properly over the future development of nuclear power. The move follows last week's court victory by Greenpeace over lack of consultation.
Alistair Darling, the trade and industry secretary, told parliament he would not appeal the ruling by Mr Justice Sullivan, who condemned the consultation process as "misleading" and "seriously flawed". The white paper has been postponed until May and a decision on whether to build a new generation of nuclear power stations put back from July until the autumn.
Alistair Darling, the trade and industry secretary, told parliament he would not appeal the ruling by Mr Justice Sullivan, who condemned the consultation process as "misleading" and "seriously flawed". The white paper has been postponed until May and a decision on whether to build a new generation of nuclear power stations put back from July until the autumn.
Darling delays energy white paper but still keen on nuclear.
The government yesterday postponed next month's energy white paper after admitting it failed to consult properly over the future development of nuclear power. The move follows last week's court victory by Greenpeace over lack of consultation.
Alistair Darling, the trade and industry secretary, told parliament he would not appeal the ruling by Mr Justice Sullivan, who condemned the consultation process as "misleading" and "seriously flawed". The white paper has been postponed until May and a decision on whether to build a new generation of nuclear power stations put back from July until the autumn.
In his written parliamentary statement Mr Darling said: "We continue to believe, subject of course to consultation, there is a case for having new nuclear power stations as one of the options companies should consider because of their potentially significant contribution to security of supply and reducing carbon emissions. Last week's court judgment does not undermine this view."
Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Emma Gibson said: "This gives them less than six months to run the fullest consultation, consider all the evidence and reach an informed conclusion. Meanwhile Blair says that his attitude to nuclear power hasn't changed. This strongly suggests that, yet again, they've already made their mind up before rushing into another sham consultation.
"The government should go back to their findings in the 2003 energy white paper; that rejected nuclear power and backed energy efficiency and renewables. If the government had followed its 2003 words with effective actions we'd have made much more progress in tackling climate change today." The Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, Chris Huhne, said the government must disclose details of costs in line with the findings of the judge. "This should include the decommissioning programme, particularly the cost of storing and disposing of nuclear waste." The one new nuclear plant in Finland cited by the government as a commercial success was being heavily subsidised, he said.
David Miliband, the environment secretary, announced yesterday that the government's proposed climate change bill was to be issued as a draft only - delaying the measure for a year, which Mr Huhne attacked as "a total shambles".
The government yesterday postponed next month's energy white paper after admitting it failed to consult properly over the future development of nuclear power. The move follows last week's court victory by Greenpeace over lack of consultation.
Alistair Darling, the trade and industry secretary, told parliament he would not appeal the ruling by Mr Justice Sullivan, who condemned the consultation process as "misleading" and "seriously flawed". The white paper has been postponed until May and a decision on whether to build a new generation of nuclear power stations put back from July until the autumn.
In his written parliamentary statement Mr Darling said: "We continue to believe, subject of course to consultation, there is a case for having new nuclear power stations as one of the options companies should consider because of their potentially significant contribution to security of supply and reducing carbon emissions. Last week's court judgment does not undermine this view."
Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Emma Gibson said: "This gives them less than six months to run the fullest consultation, consider all the evidence and reach an informed conclusion. Meanwhile Blair says that his attitude to nuclear power hasn't changed. This strongly suggests that, yet again, they've already made their mind up before rushing into another sham consultation.
"The government should go back to their findings in the 2003 energy white paper; that rejected nuclear power and backed energy efficiency and renewables. If the government had followed its 2003 words with effective actions we'd have made much more progress in tackling climate change today." The Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, Chris Huhne, said the government must disclose details of costs in line with the findings of the judge. "This should include the decommissioning programme, particularly the cost of storing and disposing of nuclear waste." The one new nuclear plant in Finland cited by the government as a commercial success was being heavily subsidised, he said.
David Miliband, the environment secretary, announced yesterday that the government's proposed climate change bill was to be issued as a draft only - delaying the measure for a year, which Mr Huhne attacked as "a total shambles".
Source: The Guardian
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