§ Mr. D. Priceasked the Paymaster-General as representing the Lord President of the Council, what progress has been made by the Atomic Energy Authority in the study of nuclear fusion as a practical and economic source of energy.
§ Mr. MaudlingI am informed by the Atomic Energy Authority that, as stated in Chapter 6 of their Second Annual Report (paragraphs 112 et seq.), a programme of research into the possibilities of obtaining economic power from controlled thermo-nuclear reactions has been under way since 1948. The work is still in the laboratory stage, and many problems remain to be solved before a practicable fusion reactor will be possible.