§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD MOTTISTONEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order aper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking into account in the siting of nuclear power stations the fact that a new type of gas-cooled reactor is being developed in the effectiveness of which the Atomic Energy Authority is supremely confident, and of which the prototype is more than three-quarters complete and should be finished by April; and whether this development will, whilst reducing capital cost and the cost of electricity generation, make it possible to obtain a relaxation of present siting restrictions so that reactors of this type can be erected in built-up areas.]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (EARL WALDEGRAVE)My Lords, policy in regard to the siting of nuclear power stations is kept under constant review in the light of technical developments, but it is too soon to say whether the development of the advanced gas cooled reactor will justify a material change in siting policy.
§ LORD MOTTISTONEMy Lords, may I thank the noble Earl for answering my Question? I should like to put a supplementary question—namely, in view of these changing circumstances, which I think are becoming more and more rapid, 724 concerning cooling methods and the siting of nuclear power stations, will Her Majesty's Government discourage the building of one such station, or two or three as is now hinted at, in so beautiful and unspoiled a spot as the mouth of the Newtown River in the centre of the southern shore of the Solent?
EARL WALDEGRAVEMy Lords, without notice of that specific question, I can do no more than say that of course we take notice of any point that is raised, but the siting policy in general must continue to follow the existing policy. The original Question related to whether siting policy would be altered by the advent of the advanced gas-cooled reactors. It is too soon for siting policy to be altered, and siting policy must go on as at present for the time being.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, do I understand by that answer of the Government that they still consider that risk exists to the population by the setting up of these atomic stations for electric power? I live only a mile and a half, as the crow flies, from one, and I should be rather interested to know.
EARL WALDEGRAVEI think we must try to keep a balanced view of this. It is clear that these atomic power stations are as safe as human skill can make them in the present state of our knowledge, and I am informed that the likelihood of plant failure is probably less than with other types of industrial plant. But, of course, if an accident, due to human error or to plant failure, should happen, the consequences would affect the surrounding population; and the policy, as the noble Viscount who leads the Opposition knows, is based on the fact that if there were a sparse population around where the accident, if it should happen, occurred, the problem would be manageable; but if it were a dense population it might not be.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, when I get a fall-out in my neighbourhood I hope that I shall be calm and meek enough to say. "Well, I am expendable, together with all those who live in this particular place." It is a pity that you do not make greater use of your own national resources like coal, which would be a better economic policy.
LORD REAMy Lords, while I live in a similar area where there has been a fall-out, and I am not yet expendable, may I follow up the original Question and ask whether the Government will keep their eye closely on the question of obsolescence? Might I ask the noble Earl whether he noticed in yesterday's Times the letter from the engineer who was in charge of building Calder Hall, which said:
I have always thought that the Nuclear Energy Programme was too big, observing that the type of reactor being built is probably obsolescent.
EARL WALDEGRAVEMy Lords, I do not think I have anything further to add to what has been published by my right honourable friend in the White Paper (Cmnd. 1083) which was published only in June of this year.