§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Technology what is his Department's estimate of the supply and price prospects of natural uranium, in view of the incipient world shortage; and what effect this is expected to have on cost estimates for nuclear stations in this country.
§ Mr. Benn:The growing volume of current exploration work in various parts of the world should result in sufficient uranium being forthcoming at reasonable prices for the U.K. and other nuclear power programmes. The effect of a rise in price of uranium on nuclear power costs is comparatively small; for example, a price variation of 10 per cent. would mean a change of about 1¼ per cent. in generating costs for a typical advanced gas-cooled reactor station.