§ 86. Sir Stanley Reedasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the increasing demands for coal, he will direct the Electricity Commissioners to investigate the Severn Barrage Hydro-Electric Scheme?
§ The Minister of Fuel and Power (Major Lloyd George)In the course of a Debate on 17th March in another place an undertaking was given by the Government that certain technical aspects of the Severn Barrage Scheme would be investigated. A preliminary investigation has taken place, but further technical inquiries of a detailed nature will be necessary. In any case I would remind my hon. Friend that the Scheme would be bound to take many years to complete and could not possibly assist in relieving the present shortage of coal.
§ Sir S. ReedDoes not my right hon. and gallant Friend agree that the authoritative committee which inquired into this scheme recommended that it be immediately undertaken as long ago as 1933 and that in the opinion of competent engineers six months would have sufficed for a complete investigation?