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Britain should become a gateway for the new wave of nuclear technology in Europe and must commit itself to much greater use of atomic energy, the Business Secretary said today.

John Hutton said that reactors had been proved safe and any delay in using them more widely could be disastrous for the environment and do damage to Britain's national security, he said.

Mr Hutton called for the UK to lead the world in developing new nuclear technology, claiming that it could create 100,000 new jobs and boost the economy by up to £20 billion.

“I think the technology is proven, not just in terms of producing electricity but in terms of safety as well,” Mr Hutton told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

“In terms of waste disposal, I don’t think there is an argument about how it should be done – there is an argument about where it should be done.”

He declined to say exactly how much of Britain's energy needs should come from nuclear power, but said it should be much more than at present.

“If we are really serious about our climate change responsibilities, if we want Britain to be as energy-independent as possible, then I think we should be talking about a significant expansion over and above the current contribution that nuclear power makes," he said.

“It is currently about 20 per cent. I think that it should be significantly more than that.”

Mr Hutton is due to touch on the subject again in a speech to trade unionists later today that has been billed as one of the most pro-nuclear statements yet to be made by a Cabinet minister.

He is expected to say that the UK could become “the gateway to a new nuclear renaissance across Europe”, providing a boost to the economy that could generate 100,000 jobs.

He will also back nuclear energy as a way to cut down Britain’s emissions of greenhouse gases.

In a speech to trade union Unite, which has 26,000 members working in the energy industry, Mr Hutton will say: “There has never been a greater global demand for finance, equipment and skills to build and operate nuclear power stations.

“I want Britain to be leading the world in the development and application of this new generation of low carbon power technology.

“Just replacing our existing capacity alone will equate to three times the size of the project to build Terminal 5 at Heathrow. It could represent around £20 billion worth of business for UK companies...

"Creating thousands of long-term, highly skilled jobs directly within the energy industry and throughout the supply chain, the prize could be massive.”

Opponents of nuclear power say that it is unsafe, and that the financial and environmental costs of processing nuclear waste make it uneconomical.

Some environmental campaigners urge a focus on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power instead of nuclear.

The nuclear industry currently employs around 40,000 workers and supports another 40,000 jobs indirectly. No new nuclear power plants have been built in the UK since Sizewell B, which opened in 1994.

The Government announced in January that it would approve a new generation of nuclear power stations, with much of the cost to be born by the private sector.

Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy are tomorrow due to conclude an Anglo-French deal to co-operate on nuclear power.

At a summit in the Emirates Stadium in North London, the British and French leaders are set to agree to harmonise regulations to make it easier and cheaper for new nuclear plants to be built on both sides of the Channel.

The leaders are also expected to announce new schemes to use French expertise to train a new nuclear workforce in this country and co-operation over the construction of long-term waste facilities.

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