§ Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYEMy 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 publish in the form of a White Paper or by other suitable means a report of progress over the last two years in the development of desalination; and whether they will include in this report details of monies allocated to this work either directly or through Government agencies, the extent to which desalination is being used commercially in the United Kingdom and overseas, and any proposed future development.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, a report on desalination was published by the Water Resources Board in 1972. The Government are satisfied that the developments in technology since 1972 do not merit a further report at this stage.
§ Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYEMy Lords, can the Minister give an assurance that that rather unsatisfactory Answer does not signify a lack of interest and enthusiasm by Her Majesty's Government for the development of desalination? Furthermore, is she aware that in America much money is being spent and progress made in reducing the costs and energy required for this process; and that we in this country must not be left behind?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, here I am afraid I cannot be more satisfactory; and I think I am going to be more unsatisfactory to the noble Lord. So far as this country is concerned this is an extremely expensive and uneconomic exercise. Large-scale desalination is used in countries which have large energy resources but little water; but this does not apply in this country. The Water Resources Board found that water from desalination costs between two and a half times and fifteen times as much as water from conventional sources. We have no plans for further development at the present time and, considering the demands on other aspects of public expenditure, I am sure that the noble Lord will appreciate this.
§ Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYEMy Lords, perhaps the Minister has not understood the purpose of my Question. It was not regarding the use of desalinated water in this country, but with production of desalination plant by this country for sale in other parts of the world, such as J. and G. Weir are doing very successfully in Scotland. Is the noble Baroness aware that water may be more expensive from desalination plants in this country, but in the Persian Gulf it is cheaper to use the desalination process than to import fresh water at a cost of several hundred pounds a ton in shipping charges? This country must not be behind in this new technology.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I thought I was covering both points. Our support 1312 for research in 1974–75 totalled £90,000. In 1975–76 we are giving no direct support to research. The Water Research Centre, which receives grant from the Department, is maintaining an oversight on developments in this technology. We have up to now, with the Ministry of Overseas Development, given aid for this. We have now reached the point where we do not think we can do much more at the present time.
Lord JANNERMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether she is aware that desalination is an extremely important feature of an attempt to solve some of the world's problems as a whole? We should be participating in this important effort, and exercising all possible care and using whatever influence we can, apart from providing machinery, in order to provide pure or clean water for the various nations of the world who are suffering as a consequence of lack of it for irrigation as well as other purposes.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I accept that it is an important matter. The research side is now being left to industry as a matter for their commercial judgment. It is true, as I think I should perhaps have mentioned to the noble Lord, that British industry gained an average of 8 per cent. in the open market contracts over the past four years. That does not seem a great amount, but when compared with other sides of industry it is a big percentage in this area. It would he wrong for me to hold out false hopes that at the present time we are doing anything major in this field.
§ Lord NUGENT of GUILDFORDMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that although the present steep rise in fuel costs prevents desalination from being a proposition in this country, the Water Research Centre has commissioned a project of research into improved membranes for the reverse osmosis process? This is principally directed to the cleaning of effluent, but nevertheless it could in the future have an advantage to desalination. That might be of some comfort to my noble friend.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords. I said that the Water Research Centre, which receives a grant from the Department, was maintaining an oversight, and it is expected to devote about one man year to desalination in 1975–76 at a cost of 1313 about £13,500. Half of this sum will be paid by Government grant. This work, as the noble Lord pointed out, is the initiative of the Water Research Centre.
§ Lord PEDDIEMy Lords, would my noble friend agree that British water engineers and consultants have made a greater contribution than any other single nation to the development of desalination plants throughout the world, particularly the Middle East?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, yes, we did originally. What has happened since is that many countries are now producing their own plant; and, unfortunately, the most underdeveloped countries have not access to the cheap energy resources, and their own sources of water prove more economic, except in a country like Israel, which in fact now produces her own water supplies.