Policy paper

Cabinet Office: The road to 2010

This document contains the following information: addressing the nuclear question in the twenty first century

This was published under the 2007 to 2010 Brown Labour government

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The road to 2010: addressing the nuclear question in the twenty first century - Full Text

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Nuclear power is seen as an essential part of any global solution to the related and serious challenges of climate change and energy security. The Government believes it is necessary to expand access to civil nuclear energy, and all sovereign states have the right to the peaceful use of nuclear power. But this expansion must not enhance the risk of further proliferation of nuclear weapons. This paper addresses four key areas: civil nuclear power; security of nuclear material; non-proliferation and disarmament; international governance. In the UK the Government proposes to build new nuclear power capacity, to establish a Nuclear Centre of Excellence to keep the UK at the forefront of efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and to reduce the costs, environmental-impact and carbon-footprint of civil nuclear power, and to review the options for long-term storage, re-use or disposal of nuclear materials. The paper outlines the Government’s approach to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty review in 2010 and details other action relating to the problem of nuclear security. The UK will continue to support the International Atomic Energy Agency through funding and assistance for organisational reform.

This Command Paper was laid before Parliament by a Government Minister by Command of Her Majesty. Command Papers are considered by the Government to be of interest to Parliament but are not required to be presented by legislation.

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Published 16 July 2009

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