§ VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will now provide authority and funds to get practical experience of desalination on a commercial scale in view of the success of the experimental desalination plant at Stockport.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)My Lords, a substantial Government contribution has already been made to the experimental plant at Stockport. Further expenditure of £1½ million recommended by the Water Resources Board for the construction of a pilot scale plant is under consideration by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
§ VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARDMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for that reply and say that I am pleased to see that Her Majesty's Government are so fully aware of the desalination experiments in process?
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that 1057 there has been considerable delay and there is a need for great urgency to reach a decision in this matter? Will he ask his right honourable friend to reach a decision very soon—and, I hope, a favourable one?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State is certainly aware of the urgency. I would not agree that there has been an unnecessary delay, but I can assure my noble friend that there will be an early decision.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, can the Minister say why the Government have decided on one pilot scheme to investigate desalination as set out in the Question? Do the Government not agree with me that it would be advisable for there to be more of these schemes in various parts of the country to give us good results?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I am not sure that I agree with the noble Lord. I think the next stage in this process is the one which is under consideration now—this particular plant pilot scheme at Ipswich.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, does the noble Lord not remember that it is now nine months since I was sitting in his place and was able to announce that the Government were in the last stages of their consideration of this project and hoped to announce a decision (and that I personally hoped that it would be a favourable one) almost immediately? Can the noble Lord tell the House what has been happening in the last nine months?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, in the last nine months a number of schemes and processes which were going forward under the previous Administration have had to be reviewed by the current Administration. There are a number of pressing claims on public expenditure, and the question of which ones should have priority and which should be dropped has had to be considered. A decision on this one has not yet been taken, but it will not be long delayed.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that if the decison is favourable, noble Lords on this side of the House will be delighted, but that 1058 if it is unfavourable they will want to probe the reasons therefor with extreme thoroughness?
VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDSMy Lords, will the noble Lord please push the priority for any Government expenditure possible in this field? Is he aware that whether or not the rest of the world need aero-engines from us, some day people are going to need fresh water, and that this is going to be a very important export industry?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, that last factor is very much in the mind of my right honourable friend.
§ LORD SANDYSMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that similar pilot projects are going on in countries abroad? Are the Government in touch with the foreign Governments in whose countries experiments are being conducted? Will the Government confirm that they are?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that after nine months gestation there is a reasonable prospect of expecting an answer?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords.