§ Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has for UK involvement in the recently announced US research project into clean coal technology; and if she will make a statement. [1442]
§ Mr. WilsonThis Government attach importance to developing cleaner coal technologies (CCT) to keep options open for diversity and security of energy supply in the UK and I recently announced a review into the case for support for a CCT demonstration plant. We have close links with the US cleaner coal technologies programme and some technologies developed in the UK are involved in the US demonstration programme. A new Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and the US Department of Energy on Energy R&D, signed in November last year, provides a framework for further co-operation and we expect a number of collaborative projects to emerge.
§ Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if progress on the development of clean coal technology will be included in the Energy Review; and if she will make a statement. [1441]
§ Mr. WilsonYes. Any review of energy must look at the role of coal. The study that I announced recently on the case for cleaner coal power demonstration plant will be an important part of this discussion, and the results of this study will inform the work of the PIU Energy Review.