§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to expedite the issue of consents to new power stations so as to allow the Central Electricity Generating Board flexibility of choice and to avoid precon-struction planning delays.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanIt has been the practice in recent years to withhold consents under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, until final approval to investment in and hence construction of major new power stations has been given. This practice has been criticised and is, I believe, contrary to the interests of both those concerned with the land planning and environmental aspects of the siting of power stations and those responsible for planning for the construction of such power stations; it can also inhibit the flexibility of choice mentioned by my hon. Friend.
Accordingly, following consultation with the bodies mainly concerned, I have decided to adopt a new procedure whereby consents for new power stations can be issued when it has been established 448W that the proposed site and station are acceptable on planning grounds—land use and environment—and, where appropriate, on nuclear safety grounds. Henceforth, any consents issued under this new procedure will not by themselves carry approval to invest: before any new power station can be put into construction the CEGB will need to obtain the requisite approval of the Secretary of State to its capital development programme, which is reviewed annually. At this stage any wider economic fuel policy, and social considerations will be taken into account.
At present, I understand that the CEGB has no firm plans for major power station orders after Ince B for which it has Section 2 consent and investment approval and for which it is currently negotiating the main contracts. The CEGB has had Section 2 consent for power stations at Drax II (coal) and Size-well B (Nuclear) for some time, and I have today issued consent to Killingholme (Oil) under the terms indicated above. The CEGB is readvertising its application for a 2,000 megawatt coal-fired station at West Burton B.