Antinuclear

Lavish hospitality from nuclear lobby to UK government officials

Nuclear lobbyists wined and dined senior civil servants, documents show Office for Nuclear Development officials received hospitality from industry representatives at luxurious restaurants and clubs Leo Hickman guardian.co.uk,  28 November 2012 Senior civil servants responsible for ensuring the building of the UK’s new fleet of  nuclear power stations have been extensively wined and dined by nuclear industry lobbyists, documents released under freedom of information reveal.

A hospitality register (.zip) released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) show that the three most senior officials at the Office for Nuclear Development (OND) have received hospitality from nuclear industry representatives on dozens of occasions since the office’s formation in September 2009. Many of the meetings have taken place at some of London’s most luxurious restaurants, hotels and private members’ clubs……….

Craig Bennett, the director of policy and campaigns at Friends of the Earth, said: “It is the worst kept secret in Whitehall that the energy bill due out on Thursday is almost entirely being done to rig the market in favour of nuclear power. The so-called contracts for difference are all about providing not-so-hidden subsidies for nuclear. What the taxpayer should be asking is whether this succession of lavish hospitality has resulted in lavish subsidies for nuclear.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/28/nuclear-lobbyists-senior-civil-servants

November 28, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized