§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement on the progress of the study being undertaken by the International Solar 318W Energy Society; what financial and technical assistance his Department is providing; and if he intends to publish any conclusions.
§ Mr. John SmithThe United Kingdom Section of the International Solar Energy Society is organising an independent study of solar energy with the help of technical staff provided by a number of organisations, including my own Department, and with financial support from the Wolfson Foundation. It is, therefore, not for me to decide what information should be published. However, I understand that the study is expected to be completed by September 1975 and that a report will be published.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the budgeted expenditure of the programme of research in the EEC on solar energy; what is the estimated United Kingdom contribution; where this research is taking place; how long it has been under way; and when he expects to publish a statement on progress.
§ Mr. John SmithThe Council of Ministers approved in June 1973 a European Commission Budget which included an expenditure of 305 million units of account (mua) for the four-year period 1973–76 to cover work on new technologies, of which 1.5 mua relates to research on solar energy. The estimated United Kingdom contribution to the solar energy component is £92,000. This research is being carried out at the Joint Research Centre of the Community at Ispra, Italy. The publication of statements of progress is a matter for the European Commission.