UK PARTIES MUST COMMIT TO HIGH SPEED LINE

REPORT SHOWS REAL BENEFITS OF INVESTMENT

Shirley-Anne Somerville, a member of the Scottish Parliament's Transport Committee, today welcomed the Network Rail report

which proposes a £34billion High Speed Railway line connecting Edinburgh and Glasgow to London and challenged UK parties to commit to the line.

Her Westminster colleague SNP Business and Enterprise spokesman Mike Weir also backed the line for the economic benefits it can deliver to Scotland.

The proposal would cut journey times from Edinburgh to London from 4hrs 23minutes to 2 hours and 9 minutes.

The Scottish Parliament's Transport Committee has already endorsed a high speed rail line connecting Scotland to London.

Edinburgh and Lothians MSP Ms Somerville said;

"I welcome this detailed study from Network Rail which lays out the clear case for a high speed line running between
Scotland and London.

"Scotland needs faster and better rail connections to London and Europe, and we need to get to work now to make it happen.

"Labour's current commitment to a high speed line goes no further than Birmingham, with vague options to extend north at a later date.

"We need firm commitments from both Labour and the Conservatives that they back a high speed line to Scotland as a priority

"To cut carbon emissions we need to dramatically increase passengers using our railways, and a high speed link is the best way to meet that challenge.

"The Scottish Government have made their support clear, the question is will the UK parties play their part.

SNP Westminster Business and Enterprise Spokesman and MP for Angus Mike Weir MP added;

"This line could have immense benefits for Scottish business. Cutting journey times and costs between the Scotland and London would be a real boost to our economy.

"A journey time of 2 hours 9minutes from Edinburgh to the centre of London offers an attractive alternative to a short-term flight.

"This would enhance sustainable growth, cutting carbon emissions whilst supporting travel across the country.

"This is a long term project, that requires an early commitment to make it happen. It's time for Labour to stop dilly-dallying and start building railways fit for the 21st Century"

QUESTIONS REVEAL DISTURBING DIARY OF NUCLEAR FIRES AND LEAKS

RISKS OF NUCLEAR UNDERLINE WISDOM OF RENEWABLES

Parliamentary Questions have revealed a disturbing catalogue of fires and coolant leaks at UK nuclear installations over the last eight years – raising serious public safety and environmental concerns.

Since 2001 there have been 82 fires and 83 coolant leaks recorded at nuclear installations - in the last six months alone there were six fires and three coolant leaks.

Last month a Channel 4 News investigation revealed that the Sizewell A nuclear power station came close to a serious nuclear disaster in June 2007 when, only by pure luck, a contractor noticed water leaking from the radioactive cooling pond that posed significant risk to operators and the public. Parliamentary Questions by the SNP now reveal that incident, which occurred just as the UK government was trying to soften up the public for the building of new reactors, was not isolated.

SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson Mike Weir MP said:

“One incident is troubling, but this catalogue of fires and leaks is extremely disturbing, and the obvious fear is what could have happened if any one of these incidents had not been detected in time.

“It paints a very unsettling picture about the state these installations are in, and how they are operating.

“These incidents are clearly inconvenient for UK Ministers who seem more interested in selling the idea of new generation of reactors than telling us about the dangers of the existing ones.

“The risks and uncertainties of nuclear power, in terms of waste disposal, decommissioning, security and health concerns, or cost, are far too great.

“This situation perfectly illustrates the safety problems of nuclear power and underlines the wisdom of the Scottish Government's energy strategy - based on our vast clean, green energy sources including renewables, clean coal and carbon capture.

"Without nuclear power, Scotland has the natural resources to generate clean, green power. Harnessing that potential can meet our future energy demands several times over, while tackling climate change and without the danger and uncertainty of nuclear.”

TRANSMISSION CHARGES REGIME MUST CHANGE

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT SETS BENCHMARK ON CUTTING CARBON

A commitment from the UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary to look at concerns about energy transmission charges has been welcomed today (Wednesday) after the SNP raised the issue following the publication of the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan white paper.

The Energy and Climate Change Secretary announced that he would take over responsibility for imposing a new regime for access to the electricity grid. SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson Mike Weir MP called on the Minister to go further and tackle the ongoing problems of transmission and balancing charges within the grid.

Mr Weir welcomed Mr Miliband’s assurance that he would look at the matter and added:

“This low carbon plan is a real opportunity to finally tackle these issues. The commitment to tackle the access arrangement is long overdue and welcome. The associated problems of transmission and balancing charges, which act against renewable generation in Scotland , must also be tackled.

“If the UK government is serious about tackling climate change then they are going to have to end the unfair transmission and locational charges regime.

“It makes no sense to hammer generators because of their location, especially since so much of the UK ’s potential for wave, tidal and wind power is in Scotland . No other country in Europe operates such a ridiculous scheme, and if the UK government’s low carbon proposals are to have any chance of success they will need to establish a level playing field for energy firms in Scotland .

“The current situation creates uncertainty for investment, and seriously undermines renewables projects.

“The Scottish Government has set the benchmark in developing a low carbon economy - by backing investment in green, renewable energy sources and leading the way with tough climate change targets.

“ Scotland has led the way and shown the ambition and courage to set the high targets everyone knows we need, and the UK Government must now follow in those footsteps.”

ACTION CALL OVER FUEL POVERTY GROUP REPORT

STOP TINKERING AND START TACKLING’ FUEL POVERTY

The UK Government has been urged to “stop tinkering and start tackling” fuel poverty after a report by the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) today (Monday) said rising unemployment and higher energy prices are set to push hundreds of thousands more homes into fuel poverty.

SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, said the Government was at risk of failing to meet its own targets on eradicating fuel poverty by 2016.

Mr Weir said:

“This report must be a wake-up call for the UK Government who must stop tinkering and start tackling fuel poverty.

“Domestic fuel bills have gone through the roof and fuel poverty levels are now more than three times the rate of five years ago. Clearly a combination of increasing bills and the real difficulties people face because of the recession will make the situation much worse, and Ministers need to tackle this head on if they are to stand any chance of meeting targets on eradicating fuel poverty.

“Not only is the UK Government failing to deal with fuel poverty, but some policy, such as the 15 per cent levy on domestic heating oil or liquid petroleum gas users in rural areas will make matters worse - these energy customers do not have access to the social tariffs available to gas customers, for example.

“Efforts so far have been totally inadequate, and unless the government gets a grip then hundreds of thousands of vulnerable households are going to slip into fuel poverty.

“For an energy rich country it is nothing short of a national scandal that people are living in fuel poverty, and UK Ministers need to grasp the nettle and make eradicating fuel poverty a priority.”

WEIR CALLS FOR ACTION TO DEVELOP OFFSHORE RENEWABLE SKILLS

SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson Mike Weir MP has called on the UK Government to take action to ensure that the skills developed in the North Sea Oil and Gas Industry are utilised to develop a new industry in offshore renewable energy generation.

Speaking at Energy and Climate Change questions Mr Weir drew attention to the report from the departmental Select Committee, of which he is a member, which noted the potential for the crossover.

Commenting Mr Weir said:

“Over the last four decades the North Sea Oil and Gas industry has built up huge expertise is working in a very hostile environment in construction, development and supply.

“As offshore wind energy becomes increasingly important those skills can be transferred to provide a new offshore renewable industry and jobs far into the future.”

Mr Weir also pointed out that onshore skills in construction could also play a vital part in the future industry.

Mr Weir added:

“When committee members recently met the wind turbine manufacturer Vestas they indicated that the type of turbine needed off shore was very different from those used on shore. This provides a huge opportunity for the skills developed in rig manufacture to also be utilised to provide green jobs for the future.

“It is vital that the UK government does not allow this potential business opportunity to go overseas. If we are to meet our challenging renewable energy targets then we will increasingly develop offshore wind, giving a huge opportunity to transfer skills and create new jobs.”

SNP COMMENT ON ROYAL MAIL ANNOUNCEMENT

Commenting on confirmation that the UK Government has ditched immediate plans to part-privatise Royal Mail, SNP Postal Affairs spokesperson Mike Weir MP said the proposals should be permanently abandoned.

Mr Weir said:

“Privatisation of Royal Mail should not just be put off for another day, it should be ruled out once and for all.

“By threatening to resuscitate privatisation plans later Lord Mandelson is creating continued uncertainty for Royal Mail workers and customers. The government should focus on ensuring a long term successful future for a public Royal Mail service.

“This humiliating climb-down, hard on the heels of a u-turn on ID cards, shows the UK government is in complete chaos.

“Lord Mandelson can’t even get his story straight on why privatisation was abandoned – first it was because the plans were jostling for space in the legislative agenda, and now it is because the economic conditions are not right.

“The truth is that it was the political conditions that were not right – Lord Mandelson was on a collision course with Labour MPs and unions.

“Royal Mail must remain in public hands and the SNP will continue to fight for the retention of publicly-owned postal services.”

WEIR DEMANDS ANSWERS OVER SIZEWELL NEAR DISASTER

RISKS OF NUCLEAR UNDERLINE WISDOM OF RENEWABLES

The UK Government faces a catalogue of questions following the discovery through a freedom of information application that the Sizewell A nuclear power station came close to a serious nuclear disaster in June 2007.

SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, has tabled a series of parliamentary questions after a Channel 4 News investigation uncovered that it was only pure luck that a contractor noticed water leaking from the radioactive cooling pond that posed “significant risk to operators and the public”. The incident occurred just as the UK government was trying to soften up the public for the building of new reactors.

Mr Weir is demanding to know when Ministers knew about the incident, why the leak was kept secret, and what safety steps have been taken subsequently.

Mr Weir said:

“It is beyond belief that a nuclear disaster was averted by pure luck and yet UK Ministers have had absolutely nothing to say about it. We must be told what led to this near disaster and know whether this was an isolated incident, or whether there is more we are not being told about.

“This incident was clearly inconvenient for Ministers who seem more interested in selling the idea of new generation of reactors than telling us about the dangers of the existing ones.

“The risks and uncertainties of nuclear power, in terms of waste disposal, decommissioning, security and health concerns, or cost, are far too great.

“It is not good enough for this information to be dragged out through FOI requests rather than made public by Ministers.

“This situation perfectly illustrates the safety problems of nuclear power and underlines the wisdom of the Scottish Government's energy strategy - based on our vast clean, green energy sources including renewables, clean coal and carbon capture.

"Without nuclear power, Scotland has the natural resources to generate clean, green power. Harnessing that potential can meet our future energy demands several times over, while tackling climate change and without the danger and uncertainty of nuclear.”

WEIR DEMANDS ANSWERS OVER SIZEWELL NEAR DISASTER

RISKS OF NUCLEAR UNDERLINE WISDOM OF RENEWABLES

The UK Government faces a catalogue of questions following the discovery through a freedom of information application that the Sizewell A nuclear power station came close to a serious nuclear disaster in June 2007.

SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, has tabled a series of parliamentary questions after a Channel 4 News investigation uncovered that it was only pure luck that a contractor noticed water leaking from the radioactive cooling pond that posed “significant risk to operators and the public”. The incident occurred just as the UK government was trying to soften up the public for the building of new reactors.

Mr Weir is demanding to know when Ministers knew about the incident, why the leak was kept secret, and what safety steps have been taken subsequently.

Mr Weir said:

“It is beyond belief that a nuclear disaster was averted by pure luck and yet UK Ministers have had absolutely nothing to say about it. We must be told what led to this near disaster and know whether this was an isolated incident, or whether there is more we are not being told about.

“This incident was clearly inconvenient for Ministers who seem more interested in selling the idea of new generation of reactors than telling us about the dangers of the existing ones.

“The risks and uncertainties of nuclear power, in terms of waste disposal, decommissioning, security and health concerns, or cost, are far too great.

“It is not good enough for this information to be dragged out through FOI requests rather than made public by Ministers.

“This situation perfectly illustrates the safety problems of nuclear power and underlines the wisdom of the Scottish Government's energy strategy - based on our vast clean, green energy sources including renewables, clean coal and carbon capture.

"Without nuclear power, Scotland has the natural resources to generate clean, green power. Harnessing that potential can meet our future energy demands several times over, while tackling climate change and without the danger and uncertainty of nuclear.”