UK reaches an agreement with France on nuclear energy

The government has confirmed its commitment to generating energy from a variety of sources by signing an agreement with France over nuclear power.

It says that the deal will see the creation of 1,500 jobs in the UK and encourage commercial investment of around £500 million.

A statement from Downing Street said: "This joint declaration will signal our shared commitment to the future of civil nuclear power, setting out a shared long term vision of safe, secure, sustainable and affordable energy, that supports growth and helps to deliver our emission reductions targets."

Eight new nuclear power plants are expected to be built in Britain by 2025, including one at the Sellafield Plant in Cumbria.

Meanwhile it has been reported that an important secret report on nuclear power has been lost by a health and safety manager after it was downloaded onto a USB stick, which could cause the government some embarrassment.