Supporters of Nuclear Energy

A list of Officers of Supporters of Nuclear Energy

Officers

• Chairman: Sir William McAlpine Bt FRSE
• Secretary: Sir Bernard Ingham
• Treasurer: James Corner

Committee

The above list plus:

• Robert Armour
• Neville Chamberlain CBE
• Dr David Fishlock
• Kenneth G Jackson
• Dr J Dickson Mabon PC
• Sir Robert Malpas
• Martin Morland CMG
• Keith Parker
• Mrs Ann Robinson
• Professor J A Simmons
• Paul Spare
• Dr W L Wilkinson CBE FRS

Patrons

Dr Gordon Adam Sir Christopher Audland KCMG DL Giles Chichester MEP

• Dr Jack Cunningham PC DL

John Edmonds Lord Gregson DL Professor Sir Frederick Holliday CBE FRSE Lord Jordan of Bourneville CBE Sir Gavin Laird CBE Sir Ian Lloyd Professor James Lovelock CH CBE FRS Lord Maclennan of Rogart PC Dr Denis MacShane MP Sir William McAlpine Bt FRSE Lord Marsh of Mannington PC Kt Lord Parkinson of Carnforth PC Lord Peyton of Yeovil PC

• Ann Robinson
• Lord Dick Taverne QC

Lord Tombs of Brailles Kt FREng Lord Walker of Worcester PC MBE Viscount Weir

SONE's business address is the Westminster headquarters of the British Nuclear Energy Society, a body set up to promote nuclear power that is linked to all the main figures in the nuclear industry, from BNFL to British Energy.

Recent Pro-Nuclear and Anti-Wind activities of SONE

As you would expect, SONE gives its "principal activity" as that of "promoting nuclear energy".

If anyone is in doubt of the intensive pro-nuclear lobbying behind the scenes, it is given in SONE's latest company report (for the year Dated June 2005) the Directors of SONE, Sir Bernard Ingham; Sir William McAlpine; and James Corner ouutline how "this, the eight year of SONE's operations

is vehemently pro-nuclear, but it is also wholeheartedly opposed to wind power, as its letter to the Prime Minister on December 6, 2002 demonstrates: “…In the interests of safe, clean, continuously reliable and economic electricity supplies, we believe that the following action is required:

4) end the tokenism in energy policy by recognising that wind power, essentially the only available renewable source of energy apart from hydropower, cannot, even if it were economic, meet the predominant demand for continuous, reliable supplies of electricity; 8) launch a campaign to correct the misrepresentations and distortions about nuclear power which have been perpetrated over a substantial number of years by those whose alleged concern for the environment actually imperils the economy, jobs and the very environment they profess to wish to protect".

This letter was signed by: SONE Secretary: Sir Bernard Ingham, Professor Sir Frederick Holliday, Professor James Lovelock, Dr J Dickson Mabon, Sir William McAlpine Bt, Lord Marsh of Mannington, Lord Parkinson of Carnforth, Lord Tombs of Brailes, Lord Walker of Worcester, and Viscount Weir�

SONE has set up a group of MPs to lobby fellow parlimentarians for a resumption of nuclear power. Some 17 Parliamentarians attended its inaugural meeting on February 27 2004 and another 50 who were unable to attend pledged their support and interest. Officers elected were: chairman: Bill Tynan MP for Hamilton South; vice-chairmen: Lord Christopher, Lord Jenkin (a SONE member) and Lord McNally; secretary: David Drew MP for Stroud; and treasurer: Jimmy Hood MP for Clydesdale. The purpose of the group is “to encourage discussion among MPs and peers from across the political spectrum with an interest in nuclear issues and to provide a forum for the exchange of information and views between Parliamentarians and representatives of the nuclear and energy industries.�

Several SONE members have had anti-wind letters published in national newspapers, many without indicating they are members of SONE. Also some Patrons of Sone are also anti-wind conservatives such as Giles Chichester MEP. In a letter to the press in April 2004 he wrote:

“How long will it take until this Government learns and recognises that the solution to future energy needs and the requirement to reduce CO2 emissions is not blowing in the wind? …. Analysis of historical wind data has shown that, with wind plant installed capacity of approximately 20% of peak demand, variations in wind generated output that would be beyond the capacity of available generation reserves or back-up capacity could be expected to occur regularly. That means supply interruptions… To any clever man from the ministry who may say the death of a few birds is as nothing to the costs of failing to address the implications of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, I would say a virtually CO2 emission-free option is available, which would produce the electricity of 2,000 wind tower aerogenerators of the height of Salisbury Cathedral spire and would do so reliably as base load electricity. It is called nuclear energy. �