All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy (APPGNE) was set up in February 2003 to "to encourage and facilitate 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."

It exists "to provide a broad level of information and briefings for parliamentarians about the commercial nuclear industry in Britain and overseas, and to enable discussion about all aspects of nuclear energy."

The equivalent body in the Scottish parliament is the Cross Party Group on the Civil Nuclear Industry.

Secretariat

The Nuclear Industry Association acts as the group’s secretariat.

Laying the foundations for nuclear power

In a speech to the Nuclear Industry Association's Annual Conference in December 2004, the ex-Chair of the APPGNE Bill Tynan (Labour MP for Hamilton South), said: "The All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy, which I chair, will do all we can to persuade the Government of the need for a nuclear component. If we are serious about keeping open the nuclear option, we must lay the foundations now. This can only happen if we have the political will to do so."

The Administrator in 2007 was Linda Smith, a public affairs officer with British Energy who took over from Ms Miranda Kirschel, who was Corporate Affairs Manager at the Nuclear Industry Association, but now works for CH2M Hill, although the Parliamentary register of All Party Groups says the "Nuclear Industry Association provides administrative assistance (booking meeting rooms, organising events and trips, sending out invitations to meetings, writing minutes)." The Nuclear Industry Association also registered the Group's website. [2]

Activities

Work of the APPGNE

The group's submission to the UK Government consultation on Nuclear Energy which ended on 10 October 2007 said it believes that unless we embrace nuclear energy we could fail future generations. "We believe," the submission said, "there has to be a balanced energy policy including nuclear. If the lights are to stay on and we are to protect our citizens then nuclear must be acknowledged as a core source of energy ... We are concerned that the elected Government listen more to the unelected environmental groups who have no responsibility and would not be criticised nor held accountable in the event of a shortage or disruption to our energy supply."

Jackboot democracy?

APPGNE wants to curtail public scrutiny of proposed new reactors at public inquiries because "we cannot allow opponents of new nuclear build to draw out the planning and regulatory process. We need to build nuclear power plants as a matter of urgency."

And with complete disregard for the proliferation implications of separating yet more plutonium from spent nuclear waste fuel, APPGNE's submission says: "To reject the opportunity to reprocess spent fuel would be unacceptable and a major mistake."

Parliamentary platform for reactor builders

APPGNE's meeting in November 2007 heard from Brian Cothran Vice-President, Europe, of GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy, which has submitted its Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor(ESBWR) design to the UK nuclear regulators' generic design assessment (GDA) process.

The group also heard from Lord Martin O'Neill, Chairman of the Nuclear Industry Association, former Labour chair of the House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee. Earlier in 2007 it received presentations from Westinghouse, and British Energy, EDF Energy and Eon UK.

Overseas trips

In August 2008 members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy flew to Oskarshamn, Sweden, to visit nuclear power and nuclear waste research and storage facilities. The costs of the trip were met by E.ON. (Date of trip: 10-12 August 2008, Registered 22 August 2008).

• 22-29 August 2005, a APPGNE UK delegation flew to Canada. Travel and accommodation paid for by Atomic Energy Canada Ltd (AECL). (Registered 7 September 2005)

• 25-27 June 2003, a APPGNE UK delegation flew to Finland. Travel and accommodation paid for by BNFL and Nirex Ltd. (Registered 3 November 2003)

• 10-12 August 2008, to Oskarshamn, Sweden, to visit nuclear power and nuclear waste research and storage facilities with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy. The costs of the trip were met by E.ON. (Registered 22 August 2008)

AGM Minutes, July 2015

The APPNG met for its inaugural meeting on 1 July 2015 in Portcullis House. Former vice-chairman and interim chair Ian Liddell-Grainger introduced the meeting and gave an overview of the groups work under the chairmanship of John Robertson.

Having elected the chair and officers for the year (listed below), the group moved on to agree the draft of the 2015/2016 programme. A consensus was met that this would be flexible and the officers will meet on a quarterly basis to review the programme and administer any potential issues that arise.

Mr Liddell-Grainger also informed the group of the private dinner for MPs on the 'Introduction to Nuclear' being held on 8 July 2015.

People

2015

• Chair Ian Liddell-Grainger - Con
• Co-chair David Mowat - Con

• Vice Chair Sue Hayman Labour
• Vice Chair Albert Owen Labour
• Vice Chair Jamie Reed Labour
• Officer John Stevenson Conservative
• Officer Nigel Evans Conservative
• Officer Dr Paul Monaghan Scottish National Party

Members

(from June 2015)

Heidi Allen MP | Lord Atlee | Lord Avebury | Lord Boswell | Bob Blackman MP | Lord Broers | Neil Carmichael MP | Lord Jones of Cheltenham | Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke | Lord Crickhowell | Lord Foulkes of Cumnock | Lord Dubs | Graham Evans MP | Nigel Evans MP | Ian Liddell-Grainger MP | Sue Hayman MP | Viscount Hanworth | Lord Haworth | Lord Howell of Guildford | Lord Hutton of Furness | Ranil Jayawardena MP | Bernard Jenkin MP | Lord Kilclooney | Lord Maclennan of Rogart | Paul Maynard MP | Tom McNally Lord | Mark Menzies | Paul Monaghan MP | David Morris MP | David Mowat MP | Matthew Offord MP | Lord O'Neill | Earl of Oxford and Asquith | Albert Owen MP | Lord Patel | Mark Pawsey MP | Chris Pincher MP | Jamie Reed MP | Laurence Robertson MP | Lord Rooker | Lord Skelmersdale (September 2015-) | John Stevenson MP | John Wakeham Lord | Lord Ian Wrigglesworth

2013 office holders

• Chair - John Robertson -Lab
• Vice-chair Stephen Mosley - Con
• Vice-chair Ian Liddell-Grainger - Con
• Vice-chair David Mowat - Con
• Treasurer Jim Sheridan - Lab
• Michael Connarty - Lab

2011-2012

• Chair - John Robertson -Lab
• Vice-chair Stephen Mosley - Con
• Vice-chair Ian Liddell-Grainger - Con
• Treasurer Fiona O'Donnell -Lab
• Michael Connarty -Lab

2007

Officers

• Chair: John Robertson - Labour
• Vice Chair: Lord Christopher - Labour
• Vice Chair: Lord Jenkin of Roding - Conservative Party
• Vice Chair: Lord McNally - Liberal Democrats
• Vice Chair: Robert Goodwill - Conservative Party
• Vice Chair: Adam Ingram - Labour
• Secretary: Michael Connarty - Labour
• Assistant Secretary: David Drew - Labour
• Treasurer: Jimmy Hood - Labour

The registered members in 2007 of the group were:

• The Earl Attlee | Peter Bottomley | The Lord Christopher | Tony Cunningham | Lord Alfred Dubs | Lord Evans of Parkside | Lord Flowers | The Rt Hon the Lord Gray of Contin | Tom Harris | David Heathcoat-Amory | Jimmy Hood | Baroness Howe of Idlicote | Brian Iddon | Adam Ingram | Lord Jenkin of Roding | [[Robert Key]| Lord Lea | Lord Macdonald of Tradeston | Lord Marlesford | Lord McNally | Andrew Miller | Lord Moynihan | Bill Olner | Lord O'Neill | Richard Ottaway | John Robertson | Laurence Robertson | John Spellar | Bob Spink | Lord Tombs | Rudi Vis | Lord Wakeham | Lord Walker of Worcester | Dave Watts | John Whittingdale

Resources

• All-Party Parliamentary Group
• Nuclear Industry Association

External links

• All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy website - this does not appear to have been updated since 2009
• "Register of All-Party Groups", United Kingdom Parliament. (List dated 21 December 2005.)
• Sam Coates, "How business pays for a say in Parliament: All-party groups accused of compromising independence; Lobbyists write controversial reports in the name of MPs", The Times (UK), 13 January, 2006.