Responding to the government’s decision, general secretary Mike Clancy said: "This is an extraordinary situation given the scale and importance of the Magnox contract to the UK nuclear industry.

"The public, and our members, will want reassurance that the termination process, and uncertainty over the future of decommissioning, will not lead to standards deteriorating or the loss of UK expertise.”

More broadly, the union said that this should be a wake-up call for the government to review how this work is conducted. The byzantine complexity of the contractual relationships involved do not provide either transparency or confidence.

Rebecca Long-Bailey, shadow secretary of state for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, asked an urgent question in the House of Commons on 27 March. You can watch it here.

Prospect maintains that the loyal and dedicated workforce needs to know who their employer is and to whom they are accountable, said Clancy

“Over the years, members have been moved from the public to private sector and back again. While this has proved politically convenient at times, it can be no surprise that treating people in this way creates resentment and confusion.

“Prospect will continue to push for the government to invest and develop the skills and capacity for the UK nuclear industry to thrive, but considers that a review of the work and purpose of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority would be timely.”

Photo credit: Copyright Magnox Electric Ltd