Wednesday's Letters: Nuclear power is the real subsidy junkie, not wind farms

I would like to point out that, through a variety of mechanisms, the Government is, in fact, subsidising nearly all forms of electricity generation, and that the subsidies for nuclear energy are particularly generous.

No insurance company has seen fit to provide cover for the nuclear energy sector, so that insurance cover is effectively being provided by the Government.

The disposal costs for all the waste generated during the long "research and development" phase for nuclear energy are also being met by the Government, to the tune of 72bn (and rising). There is as yet no agreed mechanism for the private sector to handle future waste costs.

The nuclear industry provides much of the material with which the Health and Safety Executive has to deal. This, again, is all done using Government money.

The supply chain for the industry involves the transport of various hazardous substances, such as refined uranium and radioactive waste products, by ship and rail. Should this have to continue in the event of any kind of "heightened terrorist threat", I would very much hope that members of HM Forces would be brought in to assure security. But, again, this would effectively be a "subsidy" by government.

Meanwhile, wind energy research and development, with very little Government help, has enabled the construction of 4GW of generating capacity (out of a total for the UK of some 70GW), with a further 2.5 GW under construction.

Their fuel, the wind, will never rise in price (because it costs nothing), run out, or prove dangerous in the hands of terrorists. Insurance, safety, security and decommissioning costs are all borne by the industry itself.

Their output is variable, but this is more easily handled by our present electricity grid than is the sudden failure of a nuclear power station such as that of Sizewell B, which resulted in power cuts in Lincolnshire in May 2008.

From: Dr Candida Spillard, Danum Road, York.

From: Keith Richardson, former Industrial Editor, Sunday Times, Avenue de Hinnisdael, Brussels.

I WAS delighted to see my old friend Bernard Ingham still flying the flag for nuclear power (Yorkshire Post, August 4).

But I am afraid he is far too late. Britain has lost the technical skills, it has lost the industrial base and now it doesn't have the money and the time to rebuild them.

The tragedy is that we had the money and the time, with all the North Sea oil and gas. We could have used that wonderful treasure to invest in nuclear and renewables, public transport and electric vehicles. We could have made Britain independent from imported oil, we could have built a technical leadership and today be exporting around the world, and think of the skilled jobs we could have created.

Instead, one government after another simply blew the lot. The North Sea is well past its peak, our power stations are ageing, the

Government is hopelessly in debt, our exporting industries are a shadow of their former selves and so far from investing in the future we are now reduced to cutting back left, right and centre. Cutbacks?

Shortages? Blackouts? We have seen nothing yet.

Elementary, my dear Mr Gordon

From: John Leek, Hirst Road, Carlton, Goole.

John Gordon (Yorkshire Post, August 4) disapproves of the new BBC version of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

He remarks that they share the same lodgings in Baker Street. This occurrence is detailed in Conan Doyle's first Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet. As for using teenage looking actors, Benedict Cumberbatch is 34, while it would seem that Holmes was 27 when he met Watson in 1881. Gay? Watson describes Holmes habits and lifestyle as "Bohemian", but this is all.

Mr Gordon bemoans the fact that the BBC Sherlock has been modernised (set in the present day), while he says he is a great fan of the Basil Rathbone films. This is odd, as only the first two films, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, made by 20th Century Fox in 1939, were correctly set in the Victorian era. The following 10 films, made by Universal Studios from 1942 onwards were most definitely modernised, with Holmes battling assorted Nazi villains in the Second World War. Surely these films are the ones which would have Conan Doyle turning in his grave?

Personally, I believe that the four series of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes made by Granada Television between 1984 and 1994, starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes, are among the best interpretations of Conan Doyle's stories.

Park and ride is the answer

From: Bob Swallow, Townhead Avenue, Settle.

I HAVE read the letter from Dave Hitchman of Lakenheath. Possibly this was a first trip to York for Mr Hitchman.

York has a compact centre small in area, much being within the walls. The city council has quite rightly deterred the bringing of private vehicles into the centre due to this. On the other hand, it has provided, through the bus companies, an excellent park and ride system from several points on the outskirts.

We use Clifton Moor where a bendy bus comfortably takes you into town in about 15 minutes. The parking is free, so too is the bus if you have a pass. Otherwise there is a small charge. After 6pm, you can park next to the walls for 2.

On the question of dogs on the city walls in particular. These contain many steep flights of steps, some uneven, while the walls have several sections where there is no protection on the inside by railings. A dog on here, with or without a lead, would be a serious hazard.

More than 20 years ago, a very good fellwalking friend made the astute observation: "The trouble with dog owners is they think everybody else likes dogs – and they don't!"

Attlee is example to Labour leadership hopefuls

From: David Ward, Liberal Democrat MP Bradford East, Greenfield Lane, Idle, Bradford.

THE book by Nick Thomas-Symonds about Clem Attlee (Yorkshire Post, August 7) should be required summer reading by the contestants

for the leadership of the Labour Party.

The tiresome accusations hurled incessantly by Labour MPs from the Opposition benches at Liberal Democrats suggesting that they have "sold their souls" and "betrayed their principles" because they agreed to be part of a coalition Government is something that Clem Attlee would surely have put an end to.

Indeed, Attlee may well have considered joining the coalition

Government. Don't forget that Attlee not only became Deputy Prime

Minister but agreed to an electoral truce during the war – even requiring Labour MPs to campaign in by-elections for Government

candidates from other parties.

This was a true statesman. There seems to be common agreement that we face an unprecedented national economic crisis and I still believe that the Labour Party will live to regret their decision to refuse to be part of a coalition formed with the sole purpose of dealing with the mess left by their government.

The article concludes by suggesting that Labour's leadership candidates should look to the political life of Attlee for advice – it seems to me that Nick Clegg got there before them.

From: Robert Heys, chairman, Ryburn Liberal Democrats, Bar Lane, Sowerby Bridge.

AS a long-standing party member, I accept that as part of the Tory-dominated coalition Government, Lib Dem Ministers must share responsibility for the often painfully controversial measures necessary to remedy the economic chaos left by 13 years of Labour mismanagement.

However, the suggestion "Where will the jobs come from?" (Yorkshire Post, August 2) that the Lib Dems alone are responsible for the failure to ensure the pre-election promises of David Cameron are fulfilled, stretches the concept of joint accountability to breaking point.

Mr Cameron is, after all, as Prime Minister in supreme command, and if he doesn't insist on his promises being enacted, he clearly cannot himself be committed to them.

That said, despite the criticisms the Lib Dems have received, I believe that the decision that a stable Government capable of taking the initially unpopular actions was necessary to address the problems facing the country, which led to the alliance between Nick Clegg and David Cameron, will eventually be recognised as having been in the national interest.

Cameron is a disgrace as PM

From: Duncan Anderson, Mill Lane, East Halton, Immingham.

FORMER spin-doctor David Cameron is a disgrace as Prime Minister. If a company chairman or chief executive was trying to persuade people to invest in his company, he wouldn't say it was close to bankruptcy.

As a Prime Minister, presumably seeking others to invest in this country, he shouldn't be saying that UK plc is like a bankrupt company.

Cameron and Clegg were both good in Opposition, but neither has shown the statesmenlike qualities needed to be a world-respected leader. Both should consider standing down or calling a General Election.

Water worry

From: Nigel Boddy, Fife Road, Darlington.

THE drought continues. What is the Government going to do about it? Do we need action at the Environment Agency to make future provision for temporary and permanent reservoirs on our river systems?

If the snow comes again this winter, will we have the reservoirs to retain some of the snow melt water for next year? Is any action being taken against water companies that fail to fix leaking water mains? This is an emergency that requires planning from government.

Back help

From: Paul Tremere, Dornoch Drive, Hull.

HAS Geoff Boycott tried Alexander Technique? His description of how to sit correctly in modern chairs, etc (Yorkshire Post, August 6) reflects some of its principles.

I am positive a few lessons with a qualified teacher would ease his back and introduce numerous other benefits.