HC Deb 22 February 1983 vol 37 cc395-6W
Mr. Wardell

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report an account of how the £2.3 million cost of the report on tidal power from the Severn estuary was spent, including its allocation between the various fields of study.

Mr. Gray

The organisation of the work carried out for the Severn barrage committee is described in the report of the committee which is lodged in the Library of the House. Annexes one to four of volume I give a detailed account of the structure of the work.

The main cost sub-headings were as follows:

£000s
Data collection and analysis 623
Hydraulic modelling and sediments 543
Energy output analysis 90
Caisson studies 90
Embankment studies 33
Navigation ports and locks 33
Hydroelectric plant 133
Prototype trials 10
Environmental impact 182
Social and industrial impacts 18
General consultancy and economic analysts 585

Additional studies were also made, without direct charge, by the CEGB, the Department of the Environment, the Water Space Amenity Commission and the Welsh Office. These related particularly to the topics of power transmission and the social, environmental and industrial impacts of a barrage.

Mr. Wardell

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report how much of the £2.3 million spent on the report on tidal power from the Severn estuary was spent on researching the employment aspects of the Severn barrage construction.

Mr. Gray

The employment aspects of the barrage were considered partly under the social and industrial impacts heading of the committee's work and partly through general consultancy. The results are set out in sections 19 (volume I) and 15 (volume II) of the committee's report.

In addition to the studies supported from the committee's funds, other contributions were made by Government Departments and the Water Space Amenity Commission.

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