§ 2.31 p.m.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy 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 what progress has been made in the distillation of sea-water by utilising the heat obtained from a nuclear reactor.]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, the Atomic Energy Authority have made preliminary studies of the use of nuclear reactors for providing heat for sea-water distillation plants. In order to be economic, reactors will have to combine the production of electricity with the supply of steam for the distillation plant and they will need to be very large. Such a reactor station might be used to produce, in addition to base load electricity, a considerable quantity of fresh water as a by-product. The cost of such water might, in favourable circumstances, be within the range of interest for domestic and industrial users in certain areas.
There must, however, be a continuous demand for electricity on a large scale, and this limits the number of areas in the world in which large dual-purpose reactors could be economic. Further development in the technology of large-scale desalting plants is required, and the Atomic Energy Authority are in close touch with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research who have formed a Desalination Research Committee on which industry is participating. The Authority are also represented on the panel of experts set up by the International Atomic Energy Agency to study the possibilities of these plants in developing countries.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for his very full and comprehensive reply. Is he aware that there seems to be a 242 general impression that much greater effort towards a satisfactory solution of this problem is being made in the United States of America than in this country? Does he think there are perhaps any special needs in the United States of America that might account for this impression? Further, can he state what contribution, if any, British industry has made towards the supply of desalination plants, other than those used in ships, either for use in this country or as a contribution to our exports?
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHThe reply to the first part of my noble friend's question is, Yes, there is the need in the United States, particularly in the Southwestern States where there is a greatly increasing demand both for electricity and for water. Dual-purpose nuclear power stations might perhaps ultimately prove economic in such areas. But in this country, I think your Lordships will agree, the problem of conservation is perhaps the most important, and conservation techniques are likely to remain more economic than sea-water conversion in most localities so far as can be seen at present.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, in making the calculations as to the economic possibilities of this system, can my noble friend tell me whether the estimates of writing off plant over twenty years and of availability of only 75 per cent. are used, or whether more realistic calculations are used?
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, I should need notice of that question. I think my noble friend has gone into the matter and he may well be right. I would rather not give him a categorical answer to-day.
I failed incidentally to give an answer to the second part of the supplementary put by my noble friend Lord Wakefield of Kendal, in which he asked me what contribution British industry had made in this particular cause. British industry is, of course, taking a leading part in the construction of large-scale distillation plants throughout the world. Indeed, some 70 per cent. of the land-based plants have been provided by British firms, and for a long time to come it looks as though such plants, as I have already implied, will be much more in demand overseas than in this country.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, what steps are being made to publicise the very interesting and important figures the noble Earl has just given to the House? Is he aware that there seems to be a great lack of knowledge that this country has contributed as much as 70 per cent. of these plants in various parts of the world? Could not something be done to make this fact much more widely known?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether we can take it from his answers that the Government regard the distillation of sea water as an object of primary importance at the present time?—because he seemed to attach some importance to what he called conservation, which is only done, so far as I understand it, at the expense of most of the remaining beauties of this country.
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHAs I was able to say in the House not very many weeks ago, the Government have given an additional grant to the D.S.I.R. to pursue these matters. In fact, my right honourable friend announced in another place on May 15 the composition of the Research Committee. At any rate, I think the noble Marquess may rest assured that all possible lines of research are being pursued by this Committee, whether by distillation, by electrodialysis or by freezing.
§ LORD MOLSONMy Lords, can the noble Earl indicate whether there is any chance of the financing of a pilot scheme such as was asked for by the chairman of Weir Westgarth, Limited, which has been a pioneer in this matter and has erected very successful plants in places as far apart as Guernsey and Arabia?
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, I read with interest the letter from the chairman of that company in The Times and I am not aware that the chairman has so far made a request to that effect, either to my own Department or to the D.S.I.R. I am sure it will be given consideration. But this matter is, of course, outside the scope of the original Question.
§ LORD SANDYSMy Lords, can my noble friend assure us that the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is in constant touch with its opposite number in the United States of America, the Office of Saline Water, in all matters relating to research and development connected with this problem?
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHI can give that assurance fully to the noble Lord. Indeed, part of the grant given by the D.S.I.R. for this purpose will go to increasing the number of contacts to enable officials on this side of the Atlantic to go to America and keep in close touch.