§ 63. Colonel WOODCOCKasked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the inquiry respecting the Severn power scheme and when he expects to issue a Report as to the practicability of such a scheme; whether he will give the amount already expended upon the inquiry; and what he estimates will be the total cost of the inquiry when the Report is completed?
Duchess of ATHOLL (for Lord Eustace Percy)I have been asked to reply to this question. The Committee appointed by the Lord President of the Council to inquire into the feasibility of the Severn tidal power scheme has submitted a Report which is now receiving 1366 the consideration of the Government. The amount expended upon the inquiry up to date is £2,562. Should the Government decide to proceed with the inquiry, it is estimated that the total cost of the complete inquiry would be from £70,000 to £90,000.
§ Colonel WOODCOCKIs the Department aware that they could have saved the whole of this money by consulting local authorities on the scheme; and that the local authorities would have told them that the scheme was totally impracticable?