§ 9. Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Energy what sum of money the Government will make available to the Central Electricity Generating Board in respect of compensation for the early ordering of Drax B; and if he will now present a Bill to effect this.
§ Mr. BennI have informed the Chairman of the CEGB that the Government are prepared to seek parliamentary authority for payments up to a cumulative maximum figure of £50 million.
As I said earlier, I will shortly be introducing a Bill to effect this.
§ Mr. ViggersAs the right hon. Gentleman said earlier that he intended to introduce the Bill tomorrow, I can scarcely complain about the delay, but would not it have been better for the House to have an opportunity to discuss earlier the way in which the order for Drax B was placed? It was done in a most controversial way and was a peremptory interference with the judgment 956 of the Central Electricity Generating Board.
§ Mr. BennAs I made the statement, I think, last July, it would be difficult to complain that there had not been adequate opportunity, through Supply Day debates or in other ways, for the matter to be raised. In the event, we followed the same procedure as the previous Government followed in respect of Ince B. I do not think that it makes sense for the supplying industry, in this case the Generating Board, to plan its own demand without any regard to whether there will be a manufacturing industry able to meet that demand. One cannot cope with severe fluctuations of this kind. I believe that the decision was right when I announced it. There has been plenty of time to discuss it. The Bill will come forward and the House will be able to reach a judgment on it.