Prospect union claims skills shortages could hinder government's nuclear-reliant energy policy

Skills shortages could wreck the government's nuclear-reliant energy policy, the union for scientists and engineers has warned.

The Prospect union said the plans were doomed to fail unless ministers mounted a skills drive to attract new recruits. Two separate reports last year found an overwhelming majority of companies in the nuclear industry were experiencing skills shortages.

The government has launched a consultation on the construction of new nuclear power stations, but Prospect general secretary Paul Noon said: "Wishing for a nuclear renaissance is not enough to make it happen. That will only come about if the growing shortages are reversed in key skills."