'Axing nuclear will force out skilled jobs'

Published on Monday 9 February 2009 21:22

SCOTLAND is "turning up its nose" at thousands of highly paid high-skilled jobs because of the SNP administration's opposition to new nuclear power stations, UK energy minister Mike O'Brien warned last night.

Mr O'Brien opened up a new front in the ongoing war of words between the Scottish and UK governments when he attacked the SNP administration's approach to nuclear power.

The minister was due to make a speech today explaining why he believed the Scottish Government was wrong.

He was expected to say that every new nuclear power station built in Britain would bring about 9,000 new jobs and an investment of 2.8 billion into the local economy.

Last night he made it clear to The Scotsman that he believed Scotland would lose out because of the Scottish Government's opposition to new nuclear power stations.

"What is Alex Salmond going to say to the young, highly skilled, highly qualified engineer at Torness or Hunterston B, which are due to close in the next few years? Do they have to go to England or some other country to find work?

"And why have the administration jobs at British Energy headquarters when Alex Salmond says he doesn't want nuclear to have a future in Scotland? I want to see those jobs stay in Scotland."

Mr O'Brien argued the Scottish economy would suffer if new stations were not built, saying: "The Scottish Executive's position inevitably means that Scotland won't benefit from the jobs or the billions of pounds of investment that each nuclear power station brings to an area.

"I would like to see these jobs and that investment in Scotland too. I hope that the Scottish Executive will reconsider its position," the minister said.

"Should Scotland really be turning up its nose at high-skilled, well-paid jobs? I want to stand up for jobs in the nuclear industry for Scotland, even if Alex Salmond is failing to do that."

Mr O'Brien said there was a genuine debate to be had over our future energy needs.

But he said the First Minister was gambling everything on the successful commercial application of carbon capture technology to provide a future for the coal industry.

"It is a bet whereas nuclear power is not," he said.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "Scotland has vast clean, green and renewable energy potential. Estimates suggest that generating power from our natural resources can create at least 16,000 green jobs over the next decade."

He added: "It would be foolish, misguided and plain wrong to turn our back on those possibilities or sacrifice them in pursuit of dangerous and unnecessary new nuclear power stations, a view backed by parliament as a whole on behalf of the people of Scotland."