DESALINATION OF SEA WATER (Hansard, 23 January 1967)

§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD SHACKLETON)
My Lords, we have not considered building a desalination plant at Dungeness. Consideration was given last year to the possibility of building a 10-million-gallon-a-day evaporation plant in South-East England using steam from the Central Electricity Generating Board's existing nuclear power station at Bradwell, in Essex; but the consultants' report showed that under the conditions in that area it would have been too costly to build a demonstration plant which interfered with the operation of an existing base load generating station in this way.
My right honourable friends the Minister of Technology and the Minister of Housing and Local Government are well aware of the advantages to be derived from a demonstration plant of this kind. Such a plant if designed from the outset around a cheap source of heat would not only provide a supplementary source of fresh water where it was otherwise difficult or expensive to obtain, but would demonstrate this country's capability in desalination technology one large scale. As part of its research and development programme on desalination, undertaken on behalf of the Government, the Atomic Energy Authority is studying schemes for coupling desalination plants both to the advanced gas-cooled reactor and the steam generating heavy water reactor.

§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE
My Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether, if we put down a Question in, say, another six months from now, he thinks he will be able to give a positive and encouraging reply as to progress being made?

§ LORD SHACKLETON
My Lords, a great deal depends on whether the noble Lord's Question is directly relevant. I found some difficulty in answering his Question this afternoon, since there never was a proposal in relation to Dungeness, so I do not quite know what form his future Question will take.

§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE
My Lords, I apologise to the noble Lord, but if we are to be so depressed about the possibilities of Dungeness, which was dealt with in a debate in your Lordships' House some months ago, may we have some encouragement in other directions that this important development is being attended to urgently by the Government?

§ LORD SHACKLETON
My Lords, I see no reason to be depressed about something which is not happening and which it was never proposed should happen.

§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORD
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that my noble friend is quite right? This is a matter of very general interest and anxiety. Is the noble Lord aware that last week we had a debate here in this House about the Manchester Ulls water scheme; that soon we shall be debating the Tees Valley scheme, and that there is great anxiety about how the future water supplies of this country shall be found? We should like to hear some positive statement from the Minister on just what is going to be done, and whether a project is going to be mounted for a large-scale desalination scheme; and can he give a definite prospect of when he is going to tell us about it?

§ LORD SHACKLETON
If the noble Lord would put down the question that he wants answered, I should be delighted to answer it. In my Answer I volunteered a great deal more information than was strictly relevant to the Question asked, and I received not quite the thanks to which I should have thought I was entitled.

LORD HAWKE
My Lords, are the Government aware that every day, there 321 are larger markets for this type of plant abroad? What is the use of having a Ministry of Technology if it cannot stir up the production of a sample plant in this country?

LORD SALTOUN
My Lords, is not the North-West an ideal place for such an experiment? If people knew that an experiment was being carried out in that locality it would serve to allay a great deal of anxiety about the Lake District and many other matters.

§ LORD SHACKLETON
My Lords, the original Question related to the South-East. There are those who would prefer this to be done in the North-East, rather than the North-West.

§ LORD CONESFORD
My Lords, is the Minister aware that some words in his original Answer showed considerable sympathy for what is in all our minds, and for that we are grateful? Is he further aware that the argument of expense is always used against anything that may save amenities, but never against anything that is calculated to destroy them?

§ LORD SHACKLETON
A demonstration which merely proves that a way of providing fresh water is, say, tens of times as expensive as the more established way cannot be regarded as a satisfactory demonstration. I would assure noble Lords that I have myself been extremely interested in this subject, and believe that it is of great importance. Indeed, I suggested in this House several years ago that this work ought to be going on. Clearly, the important thing is to arrive at a proper scheme, and both my right honourable friends are interested and are looking for suitable opportunities. If noble Lords wish to pursue this matter further by debate or Question, no one will be better pleased than I.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, can the noble Lord say what co-ordination there is with other efforts for desalination in other parts of the world—in Kuwait and many other places?

§ LORD SHACKLETON
My Lords, 50 per cent. of the desalination plant in the world has been produced by British industry. There is very close co-operation between the Atomic Energy Authority and the firms who are particularly concerned 322 with this subject because of its importance, both for exports and for the contribution it can make to rising living standards. There is a great deal going on in the international field, particularly in O.E.C.D. and other bodies to co-ordinate and exchange information in this field.