Meeting of the Parliament 24 June 2026 [Draft]
I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate on nuclear power in Scotland, and I congratulate my friend and colleague Liam Kerr on securing it.
Like others, I recognise the immense contribution that Torness power station has made not only to East Lothian but to the wider Scottish and UK energy supply sector for almost four decades. When I visited Torness power station last October, I was impressed by the apprentices I met. However, as has been noted, many of them were already looking towards their future careers being south of the border, so we should all reflect on the human cost of switching off nuclear power in Scotland. Whatever views members may hold on the nuclear power sector, there should be broad agreement that Torness has been one of the most significant economic and industrial assets that our country has ever had.
During the election, I was pleased to meet many residents of Dunbar and East Lothian who have made their careers at Torness and who are hugely proud of the professionalism of the workforce and the plant’s safety record, but there is great concern about the economic impact of ending nuclear power generation at Torness. Torness has been one of the largest employers in East Lothian for decades, with the site providing hundreds of highly skilled jobs. The impact of its closure will be felt not only at Torness but in small and large businesses across the county. Given that Torness generates about £45 million annually for the East Lothian economy, its closure will hit local contractors, hotels, restaurants, pubs, taxis and shops.
As has been said, since operations commenced in 1988, Torness has produced more than 307 terawatts of energy. We need to reflect on that. SNP members have all been sharing on social media the fact that it is Scotland’s energy, but, as we heard last night, it might not be Scotland’s energy—in years to come, we might be reliant on nuclear power produced south of the border.
Stephen Kerr and Paul Sweeney made important contributions to the debate. Scotland has led the world in the training and development of nuclear technicians, and we are about to throw all that away. The Nuclear Industry Association estimates that Scotland’s civil nuclear industry could have supported more than 10,000 jobs if the sector had experienced the same growth as has been evident south of the border, in England. The Scottish Government must reflect on the opportunities that the country will miss out on in years to come.
Nuclear power in Scotland delivers cheaper and cleaner electricity more reliably than any other source. Sadly, the Scottish Government is not taking into consideration those key factors. Political parties can often become entrenched in arguments that are not fit for the times that we live in and that are not appropriate for the science and policy choices that we should be taking for the long term when it comes to safety, sustainability and providing opportunities for our young people.
With the ongoing instability in the middle east and the consequent volatility of global gas prices, households and businesses are vulnerable to price shocks. New nuclear energy would put energy back in our own hands, protect us from fossil fuel price volatility and deliver much-needed energy security. As we start this new session of Parliament, we have an opportunity to reflect on the opportunities that our country can realise over the next five years. The Scottish Government must review and end its political opposition to nuclear power so that it can be part of what we should all want—a balanced energy mix that takes account of not only our country’s current energy needs but its future energy needs and the future threats that it faces.
I agree with Liam Kerr, and I urge SNP Government ministers to follow the evidence, to pursue informed choices and to acknowledge the need for nuclear to be part of our future energy mix. I thought that more voters would have responded to the issue in the recent election. In five years’ time, Green and SNP members will pay a heavy price for their opposition on what is a key energy issue.