HC Deb 13 July 1965 vol 716 cc254-6
8 and 9. Mr. Costain

asked the Minister of Power (1) what is his estimate of the number of building, civil engineering and allied service operatives required for the construction of the second nuclear power station, Dungeness B;

(2) what is his estimate of the number of additional personnel required to operate the second nuclear power station. Dungeness B.

Mr. John Morris

I am asking the Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Costain

As this Question has been on the Order Paper for some time, does not the hon. Member agree that it would have been possible for a letter to have been written before the Question was asked? What consultations is he having with his colleague, the Minister of Education, about school facilities for the children of employees in this power station?

Mr. Morris

I would have thought that it would have been a matter of courtesy to the House to answer the hon. Member's Question first of all. As for the second part of his supplementary question, that is not a matter for my right hon. Friend.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Is the Minister aware that he has not answered my hon. Friend's Question at all? Does he not think that this House has a right to know what the answer is? Surely it is a shocking way to behave to get the Board to write to my hon. Friend and not to answer today. Is it that he cannot find out, or is he too darned incompetent to do so?

Mr. Morris

The hon. Member is responsible for his own choice of words. Having regard to the fact that he also has held office I would have thought that he would know how far a Minister's responsibility goes for the details of the day-to-day running of a nationalised industry. Having regard to his responsibility for his own words, I have nothing else to add.

10. Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister of Power what further economies would follow if a second order were placed for the winning design tendered for the nuclear power station at Dungeness B.

The Minister of Power (Mr. Frederick Lee)

A number of factors, such as its siting, would affect the costs of a second station and an estimate would be very speculative, although I expect that there would be economies.

Mr. Mitchell

I think that the Minister has slightly misunderstood what information I am seeking. I understand that by using the same design twice there are major economies. Some reports have said that the economies may be as much as 10 per cent. If so, is the Minister considering changing the existing practice of commissioning one offer for each design and having a major run on the break-through design—which seems to be much more competitive?

Mr. Lee

The hon. Member is right in that a repeat order for a Dungeness B type of power station could be expected to realise economies. For example, the design cost would be spread over more than one station. Probably there would also be manufacturing economies. The cost of the second station cannot be known until tenders have been invited and received. The Board has as yet not put forward any proposals for a nuclear station to follow Dungeness B.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

Surely the right hon. Gentleman recognises that if we could get a standard gas-cooled reactor of 600 megawatts and this became an exportable product as well, not only should we improve our own power supply but we should also build up a very promising export market in this way? Will he, therefore, as soon as possible, in co-operation with the Atomic Energy Authority and the Minister of Technology, come to some agreed settlement about this so that everyone knows where they stand?

Mr. Lee

I do not disagree with what the hon. Member says. As yet the Board is still engaged in its pre-contract negotiations and until these are concluded I have nothing to add.

Mr. Wingfield Digby

When will the House get details of the successful tender? They do not seem to be forthcoming from any other source, as the Minister forecast in his original statement. Many of us want to see them, so that we can reach an informed judgment.

Mr. Lee

I have been making inquiries on that point and I think that the hon. Member will find that far more detail will be given at the end of this month.

Forward to