Exclusive:Labour Government will not override Holyrood to bring in new nuclear, says UK energy minister
Michael Shanks said that “ripping up the Scotland Act to force through new nuclear isn’t the right approach”.
The Labour Government will not override Holyrood to bring in new nuclear reactors, a UK energy minister has said.
Michael Shanks said that “ripping up the Scotland Act to force through new nuclear isn’t the right approach”.
The Rutherglen MP added that the UK Government “respects the right of the Scottish Government to make decisions even where we disagree”.
It comes after the Conservatives said that they would change the law to override the SNP’s ban on new nuclear.
The UK Government wants new nuclear reactors in Scotland, but due to Holyrood having control over planning, this has been blocked by the Scottish Government.
When asked if Labour would bring in the Tories’ proposals, Mr Shanks said: “No.
“We fundamentally disagree with the SNP and will continue to push them to change their position, but we are devolutionists and respect the right of the Scottish Government to make decisions even where we disagree.
“Ripping the Scotland Act up to force through nuclear isn’t the right approach. This is why the Tories never did it for 14 years either.”
The Scotland Act is the UK Parliament legislation which established the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government.
In lines which were trailed overnight into Monday, Tory shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie said that a Tory Government would bring in a law to ensure “no part of Great Britain misses out on plans for new nuclear renewal.”
He told SNP First Minister John Swinney to “bring it on” if he “wants to have a fight about it”.
The Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine MP also raised the prospect of Scotland getting a new large nuclear reactor under Conservative rule.
He told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham: “We will need a third large-scale reactor. We will build that reactor, and no part of Britain will be off limits, including Scotland.
“We will legislate to get it done. No more Mr Nice Guy. No more devolve and forget.
“Energy is a reserved power of the sovereign Parliament of our United Kingdom, and I am fed up with the SNP playing games with devolved planning policy to block our nuclear renewal.
“So we will legislate to ensure new nuclear can and will be built in Scotland, and if the Nationalists want to stop us from delivering thousands of jobs, economic growth, and energy security for Britain, I've one thing to say: bring it on.”
Industry leaders did not reject overriding devolution as a possible route to having new nuclear in Scotland.
Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: “Scotland should not be barred from the benefits of new nuclear. New development would bring significant investment, skilled, well-paid jobs, and reliable, low-carbon electricity that strengthens Scotland’s energy security.
“With local authority and community interest in new nuclear, the priority should be finding a way forward that allows Scotland to realise these benefits and delivers based on evidence, not ideology."
The UK Government has said that Torness in East Lothian, Hunterston in Ayrshire, and Dounreay in Caithness could host small nuclear reactors.
But the prospect of a new large nuclear reactor north of the Border has not been seriously considered before.
Torness is Scotland’s last remaining active nuclear power plant. The facility is scheduled to close by 2030.
Hunterston A in North Ayrshire shut down in 1990, while Hunterston B shut down in 2022.
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