LAST week, I began a campaign to urge the Government to retain our membership of Euratom after we leave the European Union.

Euratom is a 60-year-old treaty that allows the UK to trade freely with its European partners in the nuclear industry. It’s vital for our local area, as hundreds of millions of pounds, and many thousands of jobs, are centred around Culham – the home of nuclear fusion research.

As part of the process to trigger Article 50, the Government stated its intention to quit Euratom at the same time as it leaves the EU, in March 2019. This announcement was coupled with the Article 50 Bill last year and sent shockwaves across the nuclear community.

This little-known nuclear treaty is hugely important to everyday life in multiple ways. It allows for nuclear materials to be transported freely between EU countries. It enables the UK to lead the world in research and development. Perhaps most importantly of all, it lets the health service access the latest radiotherapy treatments from around the world for cancer patients.

Quitting Euratom therefore potentially puts each of these important issues in jeopardy. The scientific community fears a 'brain drain' of talented scientists; those working in cancer medicine are seeking urgent assurances from the Government and there is uncertainty over the UK's plans for nuclear power, not least at Hinkley Point.

The Government's justification for this decision needs to be carefully scrutinised. We are told that because the Euratom treaty shares some institutions with the EU, legally we must leave. But this is disputed by eminent lawyers. Our co-operation in this area predates the EU and the benefits of retaining membership significantly outweigh the costs.

It seems the problem with continued membership comes down to the involvement of the European Court of Justice in its oversight. There appears to have only been minor, technical ECJ cases involving the UK and Euratom. But it does require us to continue to allow the free movement of nuclear scientists. For this reason, it appears, the Government has determined the UK should leave. This makes no sense. The UK must remain a beacon for global talent after Brexit – a particularly poignant issue for the world-leading facility at Culham.

Culham is home to the UK’s national laboratory for nuclear fusion research, the Joint European Taurus – a vitally important scientific institution. I have spoken at length with scientists and researchers from the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy about their fears of the impacts of leaving Euratom.

Retaining membership will best serve the national interest – as has been unequivocally stated by representatives of the UK nuclear industry – and I hope that ministers are listening to the genuine concerns being raised.