QUESTIONS OVER CLOSURE OF NUCLEAR SAFETY BODY.

QUESTIONS OVER CLOSURE OF NUCLEAR SAFETY BODY.

SNP MSP Rob Gibson has today raised questions after it emerged the Nuclear Safety Advisory Committee which advises the Health and Safety Executive on nuclear power and nuclear safety has been shut down with no replacement.

The Committee which included scientists, academics and trade unionists was unpaid and provided independent advice on nuclear safety.

Reports in today’s Guardian highlight unease amongst members of the Committee that it has been shut down just as the Government presses ahead with plans for new power stations with one member stating; “This was just the time to get rid of a potential pest and spanner in the works of the brave new world of nuclear regulation and build,"

Mr Gibson, who represents the Highlands and Islands and is a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Energy and Climate Change committees said;

“This is deeply disturbing and completely wrong headed.

“At a time when the UK Government is promoting new nuclear power stations to shut down an essential organisation that advises on nuclear safety is utterly incomprehensible.

“With power stations seeing their lives extended, significant decommissioning taking place and the problem of nuclear waste still to be resolved the lack of independent expert oversight in a complex and potentially dangerous industry is unacceptable.

“With Sellafield today having to ask people to let them know where they buried the waste years ago there is more need for this body now than there ever has been.

“Yesterday Jim Murphy joined nuclear lobbyists to learn how to spin the public on nuclear power – getting rid of the people who speak out over problems looks like the UK Government’s first step.

“I will be working with my colleagues in Westminster and Holyrood to get to the bottom of this issue and to ensure we have proper advice on nuclear safety as soon as possible.”