§ Mr. Albert Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes 4W to give permission for Drax B coal fired power station to be constructed.
§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is now in a position to announce the decision to commence the building of the proposed Drax B power station.
§ Mr. EadiePower station ordering is currently under discussion by Ministers in the context of the CPRS report on the power plant industry.
§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in the light of his statement that the likely increase in electricity prices as a result of advancing the order for the completion of the Drax B power station, as recommended by CPRS, would range from negligible to about 4 per cent., Official Report, 10th January, c. 349, he will publish the rates of growth in electricity peak demand and variations in other factors that would be necessary to arrive at figures of 25 per cent. and 40 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. BennThe figure of 25 per cent. to 40 per cent. was an estimate by the CEGB, not the Government. It was on a different basis from that given in my previous reply because it related to an ordering programme of 2GW a year, not just to bringing forward an order for Drax B. I understand that the CEGB's estimate assumes among other things a rate of growth of peak electricity demand of 1.3 per cent. a year.