HL Deb 01 December 1964 vol 261 cc985-7

2.47 p.m.

LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDAL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it has finally been decided to allocate for housing the site at Woolwich intended by the Central Electricity Board for the erection of a power station; and, if so. what alternative site is now proposed in view of the urgent need for a further power station as close as possible to London.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES (LORD MITCHISON)

My Lords, yes. The Government see no reason to alter the decision which was announced in another place on July 16 to offer the site to the London County Council for housing. The Central Electricity Generating Board have the statutory responsibility for pro- viding bulk supplies of electricity to London and elsewhere, and it is for them, in the first place, to consider what arrangements to make in the light of this decision. No proposals for particular sites have yet been received by my right honourable friend the Minister of Power.

LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDAL

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply may I ask him whether he is aware that this decision will cost the electricity consumer over £20 million, and that before any housing is built at all there will be an expenditure of at least £5,000 per house on the site alone? Further, in view of all this, and the need to stop increasing inflation and increasing the cost of living, is it not possible to reverse this decision?

LORD MITCHISON

My Lords, I am sorry that the noble Lord is so strongly critical of a decision of the previous Government. We are less so; and on balance we think this site ought, as the previous Government proposed, to be used for housing. As regards the figures which the noble Lord has given, as we do not yet know what the Central Electricity Board propose to do the figures are obviously hypothetical. Although the figure of £20 million was mentioned to the previous Government before they made their decision, it must finally depend on what are the proposals of the Board.

LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDAL

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that further reply, I would ask, is it not a fact that the conditions have greatly changed since July, in that the policies of Her Majesty's Government are undoubtedly leading to increased inflation and an increase in the cost of living, so that it is very desirable that we should try to stop this trend? And is this not one way in which that trend might be stopped?

LORD MITCHISON

My Lords, of course there has been a considerable change in the position of the country, for the better. We are no longer incurring an increasing deficit as regards other countries without taking any steps about it. However all that may be, I fail to see how these matters affect the particular question which the noble Lord raised—namely, whether this site should be used for housing or for the purposes of the Central Electricity Generating Board. No doubt it is quite clear in his mind; but it is not in mine.