The government's business secretary John Hutton has defended the safety record of Britain's nuclear power industry at a time when the government is setting out plans for the next generation of nuclear plants.

In comments broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said the civil nuclear industry has an "exceptionally good" safety record and is able to provide regular and reliable energy.

West Lakes Renaissance and the Northwest Regional Development Agency are among a number of bodies that say west Cumbria should be considered a priority location for a new nuclear plant because of its strong skills base.

Mr Hutton stated: "To suggest that somehow there is a fundamental problem with the safety of civil nuclear power is an allegation that can't be sustained by any evidence."

He said the "incontrovertible evidence of 50 years of nuclear power in the UK and elsewhere" showed it to be "amongst the safest forms of power generation anywhere in the world".

Last month, a spokesman for E.ON told Channel 4 News that private energy companies can afford to pay for the construction and clean-up of new nuclear power plants.