Trudy Harrison has today joined the Northern Powerhouse Minister for part of his ‘Powerhouse Live Tour’ in a bid to increase pressure on Government to get behind Cumbria’s critical projects.
Trudy joined the Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth, Jake Berry at Forth Engineering in Maryport as part of his northern-wide tour which sees him ‘bring the powerhouse to the people.’
The visit, which also included a meeting with apprentices at Energus was welcomed by Mrs Harrison as she reinforced Cumbria’s great opportunities including exporting decommission specialisms, developing new nuclear and securing West Cumbria Mining.
Mrs Harrison, said: “There is nowhere better in the UK to lead on the colossal nuclear decommissioning export opportunities, than Cumbria.
“Forth is a brilliant example, they’re taking their amphibious remotely operated vehicles into highly irradiated complex environments to minimise human interaction, accelerating the clean-up mission, safely.
“I want Government to make export easier, to work with our many specialist companies, to help them export.
“Nuclear new build is a national need, I’m committed to Moorside for the benefit of West Cumbria, the industry and the country and I want to ensure vital projects like West Cumbria Mining go ahead.”
Next month, Cumbria’s six Members of Parliament will meet with the Korean Ambassador to the UK in Westminster to continue to press for progress for the £15 billion nuclear new build.
Mrs Harrison will also be hosting the first Moorside Strategic Partnership meeting to be held in the community, bringing together key industry figures and Government officials to ramp up the pressure – the first meeting is set to take place in Whitehaven in the November.
This week, Mrs Harrison has also written to the Secretary of State for Trade, Liam Fox ahead of his visit to the Republic of Korea later this year where talks with KEPCO are said to be taking place.
Mrs Harrison urged the Secretary of State to ‘maintain a very strong relationship’ with countries around the globe such as the Republic of Korea in order to grow Cumbria’s world-class skills.
