12/03/2016 BBC Weekend News

The energy company EDF has said it cannot confirm its commitment

to build a new nuclear reactor in Somerset unless the French

The reactor at Hinckley Point is the first in a series of planned

new nuclear power stations, intended to help guarantee

Earlier this week, EDF's finance director resigned,

warning the contract would break the company.

Our business correspondent Joe Lynam reports.

This is what the proposed Hinkley Point power station should

It's set to provide 7% of Britain's entire electricity demand,

and will ensure the lights stay on for decades.

But the company building it, EDF, is having problems.

Similar reactors in France and Finland are severely delayed

and over budget, and the ?18 billion cost of building Hinkley is more

Its trade unions are sceptical and the company's finance director

So now the EDF chairman has written to staff to reassure them,

and also to say that the French Government,

which owns the company, they have to stump up more money.

The political will to build Hinkley is immense.

David Cameron and President Hollande reaffirmed their commitment

to the deal a week ago, describing it as a pillar

But a key group of MPs thinks the deal may have to be re-examined.

We will have a look, we will be led by the evidence.

The Energy and Climate Change Committee prides itself on looking

at evidence and making a call on the evidence.

As it looks at the moment, I've got to say, the evidence

UK taxpayers will be paying ?92.50 for each megawatt hour that

That's almost three times as much as the current wholesale

But it's less than the Government is already paying for offshore wind

energy and only slightly more than what we would pay

The Department of Energy and Climate Change says

it is committed to Hinkley as the only proven low carbon

technology to deliver electricity for decades.

The political will on both sides of the Channel to get this deal done

appears to be such that it could override any financial logic.

Footage has emerged appearing to show Turkish coastguards lashing

out with sticks at a boat full of migrants in the Aegean Sea.

The video is believed to have been filmed this morning in Turkish

waters near the Greek island of Lesbos.

Turkey says the coastguards were trying to stop the boat

Early this morning off the coast of Turkey,

a migrant vessel is being hit with boat hooks.

Women scream, children cower on the floor of the boat.

They're Turkish coastguards, trying, they claim, to disable the engine

Humanitarian experts say these pictures are disturbing.

Previously, the Turkish coastguard has been filmed using water cannon

Nato ships are now in the waters between Greece and Turkey.

Sailors and aircrew will be tasked with sending boats packed full

of people heading for Europe towards Turkish coastguards for them

But is this what Nato's servicemen and women will be sending

The Turkish coastguard says it was trying to stop the migrants

getting into Greek waters without harming the refugees.

Those on board this boat did make it to Greece today,

but others were intercepted by the Turkish authorities

Their attempts thwarted as efforts are stepped up to stop the flow

of people paying smugglers to get them onto European soil.

The Justice Secretary Michael Gove today declined to deny

that he was the source of the story in the Sun that claimed the Queen

He told reporters this morning he didn't know where the Sun got

all its information - although a source close to Mr Gove

later insisted the newspaper was not briefed by him.

Well, as I've said before, I don't know how the Sun got

all its information, and I don't think it's really

worth my adding anything to what's already been said about this story.

I think it's critically important that people make their own minds up

on the facts about our position in the European Union.

With me now is our political correspondent, Ross Hawkins.

What do you read into what Mr Gove said? When the story was published,

the Palace stressed the Queen's neutrality and complaint to the

press regulator. The Sun is confident and says it has multiple

sources, but who? It source close to Mr Gove told me earlier that he did

not brief this story, taken together he has not ruled out that he knows

where some of the Sun 's information comes from, as opposed to all, and

he has not ruled out the possibility that something he said has

inadvertently found its way to the papers. The Cabinet Secretary has

ruled out a formal inquiry conducted by him despite Labour asking for it,

the Sun is confident -- I think we can say with some confidence that

Labour MPs will ask Mr Gove whether or not he had involvement with the

story, as will journalists. The leader of the SNP is to make

a new push for independence. Speaking at her party's spring

conference in Glasgow, Nicola Sturgeon said a second

referendum would not take place quickly, and that independence

would be achieved only when a majority of people

in Scotland were persuaded. She also said a new campaign would

begin this summer. She said that many had not found the argument is

to leave the UK compelling. Making and winning that

case is our challenge, That's why I can tell

you today that, this summer, the SNP will embark

on a new initiative to build A 24-year-old man has been shot

by police following a siege in North Armed officers were called

to a house in Kilbirnie. They say they were confronted

by a man wielding a machete The injured man is being

treated in hospital. His injuries are not thought

to be life-threatening. Charities have strongly criticised

planned new cuts to welfare payments More than half a million people

are expected to face a cut in their personal independence

payments under the changes. The Government says the reforms will

save more than ?1 billion pounds. They say they are the hardest hit,

and in recent years they have taken their arguments

out onto the streets, protesting against cuts

to their benefits. In the latest changes

to Personal Independence Payment, the formula used to calculate

the benefit is being tightened. It could mean cuts for

640,000 people by 2020, and save the Government

?1.2 billion. Kate's disabilities mean

she is in constant pain. She's had her benefits cut

before and is worried It feels like a budget decision,

it feels like a financial decision If they cared about independence,

they wouldn't take my car, because that takes my independence

away. The Government says it wants to make

sure these benefits go to people who need them and claims the current

system isn't working, with many eligible for benefits

despite having minimal or no It says these changes will make

support for people with The announcement of changes

to disability benefits comes just days before the Chancellor's Budget,

with critics suggesting the savings could be used to fund tax cuts

in George Osborne's latest plans. In fact, it's unforgivable

if they are proposing to take that money and spend it instead on tax

cuts for people like... People like MPs who earn a decent

wage and don't need a further tax cut, especially on the backs

of the poor and the disabled. But tonight a Treasury source

dismissed the idea that cuts to disability benefits were linked

to any changes in taxation. In Rugby's Six Nations,

Ireland beat Italy by 58 points to 15 in Dublin, while England

are currently taking on Wales at Twickenham in what could be

the Championship decider. At half time England were leading

16-0 thanks to three penalties from the boot of Owen Farrell

and a try from winger With around half an hour remaining,

England's lead 19-0. There's more throughout the evening

on the BBC News Channel. We are back with the

late news at 10:25pm. Now on BBC One it's time

for the news where you are.