§ 75. Mr. Masonasked the Paymaster-General, in view of the increasing need for national control of fuel resources and the important part atomic energy is to play in a future national fuel policy, to what extent the Government have 196W considered public ownership and control of the consortium which is responsible for the building of atomic power stations.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe Government have no intention of bringing under public ownership or control any of the firms or groups of firms now engaged in constructing nuclear power stations.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Paymaster-General to what extent the atomic power station building programme has been affected by improved techniques resulting in a far higher output per station than planned; and which stations will now be built.
§ Mr. MaudlingIt now seems likely that the programme can be fulfilled with fourteen or fewer nuclear stations compared to the original estimate of nineteen. Stations at Bradwell, Berkeley, Hinkley Point and Hunterston are at present under construction and the Central Electricity Generating Board have applied for consent to build a further station at Trawsfynydd in North Wales.