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Plenary, 14 Apr 2005

14 Apr 2005 · S2 · Plenary

Item of business

Nuclear Power

Mundell, David Con South of Scotland Watch on SPTV

I will try hard not to be political in my speech, but I believe that people who argue against the nuclear industry should have the courage to do so in communities that the nuclear industry has benefited and not just in the Parliament, where it is easy to attract applause. It is much more difficult to do so in communities that the industry has benefited.

As a member of the Scottish Parliament, I have been one of the most long-standing advocates of the nuclear industry. I have been an advocate of it not because 72 per cent of people in an opinion poll said that they were in favour of it, although that is what drives SNP policy today. The SNP picks up a ragbag of issues in the hope of being on today's policy. As Dr Elaine Murray said, opinion polls are localised, and although nationally the SNP is against nuclear power, somebody somewhere will be for it. Local issues explain why Councillor Bob Higgins, the leader of the SNP group on Dumfries and Galloway Council, is one of the staunchest supporters of the nuclear industry. That is the reality of the SNP's position.

The debate highlights that the SNP has no real aspiration to govern, because the nuclear debate and the energy debate require leadership. I applaud Allan Wilson, John Home Robertson and others in the Labour Party, such as Brian Wilson, who have been willing to lead the debate in their party. We in Scotland have led the debate. It is important that people understand it, because the issues are serious.

The questions in the energy debate do not all have solutions with which everybody is happy. The Communities Committee recently had a lengthy discussion about another issue on which some people express opinions but do nothing—opencast mining. Such mining will provide clean coal, but it is not easy to achieve a balance on the issue. Similarly, it is not easy to satisfy all stakeholders in the nuclear industry. We require leadership and to argue for the industry, and Conservatives will continue to do that in the Scottish Parliament.

The one issue on which I disagree with John Home Robertson, as he knows, and with the minister, is double-tracking, for which I believe scope exists. As the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management continues its work, we should begin the process of commissioning new stations, because that will take a long time and many procedural issues must be overcome. We must start now.

It is clear that the existing licensed sites here in Scotland will provide the best opportunity for new nuclear development, but I will not promote a particular site. I am heartened because the leadership that has been shown in the Parliament is having an effect and ultimately we will have nuclear development in Scotland. I am heartened because I read in my local paper the comments of a leading Liberal Democrat politician, who said:

"Having seen various programmes and reports on global warming, I have come to the personal opinion that in the future there will be a place for nuclear power in our energy provision."

I am clear that when the moment comes, the Liberal Democrats in the Parliament will back nuclear power and that we will have it in Scotland.

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Plenary, 14 Apr 2005

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