My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (John Hutton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
It was announced in the 2008 White Paper on nuclear power that the Government would publish a public consultation on the strategic siting assessment (SSA) process and criteria.
I have today issued a consultation document on the SSA process and criteria. Alongside this, the Government are publishing a study of the environmental and sustainability effects of the siting of new nuclear power stations in accordance with the proposed SSA criteria. The Government are seeking views from members of the public, industry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or any other organisation, body or individual with an interest. The Government are also publishing today a habitats regulations assessment screening report and the environmental study appendices.
This is a step towards the development of a new nuclear national policy statement.
The consultation will close on 11 November 2008. Copies of the strategic siting assessment consultation document and the environmental study will be placed in the Libraries of the House and are available together with the habitats regulations assessment screening report and the appendices of the environmental study on the website of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform at www.berr.gov.uk/energy/nuclearwhitepaper/consultations/page44523.html.