December 03, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - People in Britain hold differing views on their government's plan to keep open the option to build new nuclear power stations in the future, according to a poll by Ipsos-MORI. 39 per cent of respondents support or tend to support the policy, 28 per cent oppose or tend to oppose it, and 28 per cent have no strong feelings either way.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - People in Britain hold differing views on their government's plan to keep open the option to build new nuclear power stations in the future, according to a poll by Ipsos-MORI. 39 per cent of respondents support or tend to support the policy, 28 per cent oppose or tend to oppose it, and 28 per cent have no strong feelings either way.

Last month, British prime minister Tony Blair declared, "Energy prices have risen. Energy supply is under threat. Climate change is producing a sense of urgency. The future is clean energy and nations will look to diversify out of energy dependence on one source."

Blair said his government would decide whether to build new nuclear power stations by next summer. 41 per cent of respondents support or tend to support building new nuclear power stations in Britain to replace those are being phased out over the next few years, but only 29 per cent feel the same way about building new nuclear power stations to increase the proportion of nuclear energy that the country uses.

There are currently 14 functioning nuclear reactors in Britain, which produce 21 per cent of the country's electricity. All but one will reach the end of their operational lifetimes by 2023.

Polling Data

To what extent do you support or oppose the government's current policy of keeping open the option to build new nuclear power stations in the future?

Strongly support	9%
Tend to support	30%
Neither support or oppose	28%
Tend to oppose	17%
Strongly oppose	11%
Don't know	8%

To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain to replace those are being phased out over the next few years? This would ensure the same proportion of nuclear energy is retained.

Strongly support	10%
Tend to support	31%
Neither support or oppose	26%
Tend to oppose	16%
Strongly oppose	12%
Don't know	5%

And to what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain to increase the proportion of nuclear energy that we use?

Strongly support	7%
Tend to support	22%
Neither support or oppose	25%
Tend to oppose	23%
Strongly oppose	17%
Don't know	6%

Source: Ipsos-MORI
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 2,035 British persons—ages 15 and up—conducted from Nov. 3 to Nov. 7, 2005. No margin of error was provided.