Nuclear Electricity (Hansard, 13 March 1996)

§ 18. Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current timetable for nuclear privatisation. [18708]

§ Mr. Eggar
Privatisation of the nuclear power generation industry is expected in the summer.

§ Mr. Prentice
Why was there no mention of nuclear privatisation in the 1992 Conservative manifesto but only a reference to a review of it? Is it not a deceit and a deception of the British public for £2.5 billion of assets to be handed over—perhaps to the dodgy American company, Duke Power, whose safety record has been absolutely deplorable?

§ Mr. Eggar
There was a reference in the manifesto to a review, and it was carried out. It concluded that we should move forward to privatise the nuclear industry. As for the outrageous comments towards the end of the hon. Gentleman's question, there are few things that I despise more than people who bring safety fears into the Chamber of this House.