UK and France to sign nuclear energy agreement

Britain and France are to sign a landmark agreement to co-operate on civil nuclear energy, paving the way for the construction of a new generation of power plants in the UK.

Deals between British and French companies - worth more than £500m - will allow work to start on new facilities, creating more than 1,500 jobs.

Cameron's government said it reiterates the UK's commitment to nuclear energy "as part of a diversified energy mix".

Defence will also be on the agenda as Cameron and Sarkozy hold a summit in Paris.

An announcement about joint development of a future unmanned aircraft is also expected.

The move comes 11 months after the tsunami in Japan which wrecked the nearby the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, leaking radioactive material into the air and sea.

UK and French public and private sector bodies in the civil nuclear power industry will also work more closely in a number of areas.

These include education and training; research and development, and security.

Last June, the UK government announced plans for the next generation of nuclear plants.

The UK government confirmed a list of eight sites it deems suitable for new power stations by 2025, all of which are adjacent to existing nuclear sites.