Copeland MP Trudy Harrison has welcomed the publication of the Nuclear Industry Association’s annual jobs map, which reveals employment in the industry has grown to its highest levels in five years.
The publication reveals the civil nuclear currently employs 64,509 people across the UK, including 14,873 in the Copeland constituency.
Sellafield Limited in Cumbria remains the largest employer with a workforce of more than 9,800 people.
Mrs Harrison said: “There is real momentum in the nuclear industry at present. The benefits of new nuclear projects, including Small Modular Reactors, are frequently being raised in Parliament by colleagues right across the country, and it was excellent to hear the Prime Minister use her first Prime Minister’s Questions to repeatedly reaffirm the commitment to building new nuclear power stations in order to increase our own energy supply long term.
“The NIA’s jobs map demonstrates this growth and momentum. But we can – and must – go further. The Government is pledging £1.7 billion of direct funding for developing large-scale nuclear projects in this Parliament.
“Nuclear power supports our community more than any other; we have let our most powerful, most efficient and reliable electricity generation down badly over recent decades.
“I will continue to fight every day to secure its future to achieve affordable, reliable clean power, supporting science and industry, apprenticeships and high quality jobs, vibrant communities and a brilliant export opportunity.
“Now is the time to invest in nuclear and renewable energy – and do it here in Copeland.”
Mrs Harrison has recently produced a new document, Copeland’s Nuclear Journey, making the case to locate new SMRs in Copeland. She said she intended to present it to the new Prime Minister at the earliest opportunity.
