§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Power (1) what estimate he has now made of the effect of restrictions on capial investment by the electricity industry on the building of nuclear power stations; what effect this will have on the consumption of coal in 1975; and what effect it will have on hic revised White paper;
(2) what effect he expects devaluation will have on the use of fuel oil in power stations; what revisions he is making to his fuel policy White Paper to allow for this; and what will be the likely effect on coal consumption in 1975;
(3) what effect devaluation is likely to have on the operating costs of nuclear power stations; what revisions he is making to his fuel policy White Paper to allow for this; and what will be the 278W likely effect on coal consumption in 1975.
§ Mr. Marsh:As I said in answer to hon. Members in the debate on 22nd January [Vol. 757, c. 147] and in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ince (Mr. McGuire) on 23rd January [Vol. 757, c. 77] and also to Questions on 6th February [Vol. 758, c. 211] the consequences of devaluation are not sufficient to affect materially the policy guide-lines in the Fuel Policy. Paragraph 6 of the White Paper makes it clear that policy will be kept under continuing review.
As regards the effect of restrictions on capital investment on the building of nuclear power stations, I have nothing to add to my replies to my hon. Friends the Members for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Ogden) and Ince (Mr. McGuire) on 12th December [Vol. 756, c. 194], the reply by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Palmer) on 21st December, 1967 [Vol. 756, c. 488] and my reply to the hon. Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) on 6th February [Vol. 758, c. 207].