The future of a proposed nuclear plant is to be "urgently" discussed as calls continue for government commitment to Moorside.

Copeland MP Trudy Harrison and Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock urged the government to take a stake in the project, which could secure 21,000 jobs in Cumbria.

Speaking in the Commons chamber during an urgent question on the nuclear sector deal, Mrs Harrison praised the Government for "demonstrating its recognition of our nuclear sector."

She said: "I was particularly pleased to see the reference to 40 per cent more females working in the industry by 2030 and I hope the Minister will join me in acknowledging the work that Women in Nuclear does and also the barriers, because often these nuclear licence sites are in rural, coastal locations where sufficient high quality, affordable, flexible childcare is simply not available at the moment.

"I hope the Minister would work with me in my own constituency. He talks of the 87,500 workers in the nuclear industry, and in Cumbria we have 27,000 of those, and we are absolutely the centre of nuclear excellence."

After urging the government to step in to secure the 21,000 new jobs Moorside could create, Mr Woodcock highlighted the need to fix the notorious A595 pinch point at Dove Ford in order to create the proposed nuclear corridor between south and west Cumbria.

He said: "The wonderful, world class nuclear cluster we could have there is inhibited by the fact we have to drive through a farmyard which holds the area back, prevents growth, and affects the whole of the UK.

"It is good that that the secretary of state will meet me and Trudy to discuss the Moorside deal at this critically important time.

"It would be unthinkable for this vital deal to falter through lack of government commitment when ministers are prepared to take a stake in the Wylfa plant.

"We need these jobs and the nation needs the power Moorside will generate."

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: "The UK is the home of civil nuclear technology and with this investment in innovation and our commitment to increasing diversity in an already highly-skilled workforce, I want to ensure we remain the world leader.

"Nuclear energy not only fuels our power supply, it fuels local jobs, wages, economic prosperity and drives UK innovation.

"This Sector Deal marks an important moment for the government and industry to work collectively to deliver the modern Industrial Strategy, drive clean growth and ensure civil nuclear remains an important part of the UK’s energy future."