[holding answer 24 March 2009]: It is our policy to facilitate new nuclear build and we are taking active steps to do that, as set out in the Nuclear White Paper and the update that we published in January 2009.
The Strategic Siting Assessment will determine those sites that are strategically suitable for new build.
The Department, through the West Cumbria Strategic Forum, engages with this sub-region of the North West on various issues and we have encouraged their participation in recent consultations and reports to ensure that the areas views on new nuclear are understood and considered.