THE former trade and industry minister Ian McCartney is to be paid up to £115,000 a year to advise one of the world’s largest nuclear companies.

McCartney, who left the government last June, will act as senior adviser to managers at Fluor Corporation, a US multinational.

Fluor, in partnership with Toshiba, the Japanese electronics giant, is on a shortlist of four seeking to win a contract worth about £18 billion for decommissioning Sellafield nuclear power station.

The contracts are awarded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency under the business, enterprise and regulatory reform department, formerly trade and industry.

Fluor says McCartney will provide advice on environmental, political, social and economic issues but will not engage in any form of lobbying.

Fluor employs 1,800-plus people in the UK and more than 35,000 people in more than 25 countries. In August it announced that it was building two new nuclear power stations in the US with Toshiba. It donated £5,100 to Labour in April this year.

McCartney has been the MP for Makerfield, near Manchester, since 1987 and rose to be party chairman. He has held numerous posts in government, including the work and pensions department and the cabinet office.

According to the MPs’ register of interests, payments from Fluor will go through a company called Aim & Aim, which McCartney set up two weeks ago. He and his wife, Ann, are the sole directors. The company also pays the salary of McCartney’s Westminster assistant.

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