Ministers are due to publish controversial plans to bury Britain's massive nuclear waste stockpile, as part of a campaign to persuade investors to build new nuclear power stations.

On Thursday, Hilary Benn, the environment secretary, is due to publish a long-awaited white paper for dealing with Britain's 'legacy' of radioactive waste by asking for volunteer communities to bury the waste in deep underground vaults in return for government spending on things like health screening and infrastructure.

The announcement is seen as a key step in persuading investors to spend billions of pounds on new nuclear power stations ahead of a meeting on the same day with the energy secretary, John Hutton. ... Read full article