§ 4. Mr. Palmerasked the Paymaster-General if he will give a direction for the Hinkley Point nuclear power station, now being built for the Central Electricity Generating Board, to be constructed and operated as a maximum efficiency power plant and to be excluded from the military plutonium programme.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe efficiency of the station will not be affected by the modifications authorised as an insurance against the need for additional military plutonium.
§ Mr. PalmerSince the plutonium credits are slightly to be offset, and since this station is likely to be one of the most modern and up to date, which will give foreign buyers a real check upon the operating costs of British nuclear plant, will not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there is a case for this station to be excluded from the military plutonium programme?
§ Mr. MaudlingNo; if it should be necessary—it is by no means certain— 10 to use this station at some stage for the production of military plutonium, I am quite certain that should not impede the obtaining of any scientific information which might be necessary from the operating of this station.