§ 34. Mr. Eadieasked the Minister of Power what study he has made of the survey of uranium supplies made by the European Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency, a copy of which is in his possession; and whether he still expects nuclear power stations to be competitive with those using coal.
§ Mr. MasonI see no reason to change the assumptions about relative generating costs outlined in the Fuel Policy White Paper (Cmnd. 3438), and would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Mr. Kelley) on 14th April.—[Vol. 781, c. 225.]
§ Mr. EadieDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that the expected world shortage of uranium supplies could affect our nuclear energy programme? Does not he further agree that it is, therefore, desirable to have a complete reappraisal of the use of coal, our own indigenous resource?
§ Mr. MasonQuestions about the availability of uranium should go to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology and not to me, but I understand that stocks plus imports under existing contracts are likely to meet our requirements until well into the 1970s and that no significant increase in the price of uranium is expected over the next five years.