Nuclear decision announced on Thursday

Updated 14.48 Mon Jan 07 2008

Keywords: Gordon Brown, energy, John Hutton, nuclear

The Government is preparing to announce whether it has given the go-ahead to a controversial new generation of nuclear power stations.

Downing Street has confirmed the decision will be announced in a statement to MPs from Business Secretary John Hutton on Thursday.

Ministers will discuss the move on Tuesday and it is expected they will agree that new stations should be built to secure Britain's future energy supplies.

Mr Brown's spokesman said: "There has been a consultation under way. That consultation has now concluded and the Government now needs to make a decision in the light of that consultation, and it will be announced what that decision will be on Thursday."

The spokesman confirmed that if firms are given the go ahead to build new nuclear stations, they will also be expected to fully fund the cost of future decommissioning of the stations.

He also said these firms would be expected to pay "their full share" of the cost of long-term management of nuclear waste.