§ 10. Mr. Pentlandasked the Minister of Power whether his attention has been drawn to a report, issued on 28th March, 1961, by the North Regional Board for Industry, regarding the unsuitability of the siting of power stations in the County of Durham; and if, in view of the urgent need for consideration to be given to the siting of a new power station, or power stations, on or near the Durham coalfield, he will make a statement of his policy in the light of the report.
§ The Minister of Power (Mr. Richard Wood)The choice of sites for new power stations is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. The Board is building a station at Blyth, which will be completed in 1965, and has no immediate plans for another new station in Durham or Northumberland.
§ Mr. PentlandIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when it became known through this report that his Ministry had decided that the County of Durham was geographically unsuitable for power stations it caused widespread dismay, to say the least, in the county? In view of the fact that this decision cannot be substantiated on those grounds in any way, will the right hon. Gentleman have another look at it to see about siting a power station in the county near the coalfield?
§ Mr. WoodI should like to make clear that the advice from my Department never suggested that there were no suitable sites for power stations in the county but merely said that the problem of building power stations was not so easy as it looked. The Department did not recommend that no power station should be built there. As the hon. 882 Member knows, the National Coal Board and the Central Electricity Generating Board are continually in touch and no doubt will take notice of what he has said.
§ Mr. PentlandCould we have a categorical assurance now that the Central Electricity Generating Board will at least consider siting a station on the Durham coalfield?