HC Deb 11 May 1994 vol 243 cc306-7
6. Mr. Rooker

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce the terms of reference for the nuclear energy review.

Mr. Eggar

I shall announce the terms of reference in due course.

Mr. Rooker

When the Minister reverses the lethargy in his Department on this issue, will he be able to tell us whether the terms of the review will allow for the early closure of the out-of-date Magnox stations? As one who is not anti-nuclear in principle, may I ask whether the terms of the review rule in or rule out the construction of any new nuclear power stations?

Mr. Eggar

The review will seek to address such issues. I have taken careful note of the hon. Gentleman's stance on the matter.

Mr. King

Will my hon. Friend undertake to ensure that the nuclear power review takes full account of the remarkable improvements in performance achieved by our nuclear industry, not least the world-ranking performance of Hinkley Point advanced gas-cooled reactor?

Mr. Eggar

I agree that Nuclear Electric has improved output and reduced costs considerably in the past couple of years. A major tribute should be paid to the senior management and work force of Nuclear Electric, who are committed to making a success of nuclear power in this country.

Mr. Llew Smith

Does the Minister accept that the review was started in secrecy because of the links between the nuclear industry and the military and because of the Government's determination that the industry should be shrouded in secrecy?

Mr. Eggar

The hon. Gentleman probably asks me more questions on this issue than all the other hon. Members put together. He is presumably busy trying to prove conspiracy theories of that sort, but he is wrong.

Mr. Beith

Will the review take into account the full costs of insurance of nuclear power stations and the full costs of decommissioning? Will it ensure that those are not offset by subsidies or other devices that make it unclear whether nuclear power is viable?

Mr. Eggar

I understand the right hon. Gentleman's desire to ensure clarity in costing, which I am sure will be one of the matters with which the review will want to deal.

Dr. Michael Clark

Does my hon. Friend recall that at the beginning of last year, at the time of the coal review, he said that the nuclear review would take place in 1993? We are nearly halfway through 1994, yet we are still waiting for its terms of reference. Does he realise that the nuclear industry, its employees, plant and technology depend heavily on the review?

Mr. Eggar

I understand my hon. Friend's impatience and I assure him that I will bear those factors in mind.