HC Deb 28 February 1977 vol 927 cc24-5W
Mr. Dodsworth

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all the companies constituted under the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1971, together with a list of the board members of each.

Mr. Benn

The Atomic Energy Authority Act 1971 did not itself constitute any companies but transferred to BNFL and TRC parts of the existing undertaking of the authority. Both the companies had previously been constituted in the normal way under the Companies Act.

The current memberships of the boards of the two companies are as follows:

(1) BRITISH NUCLEAR FUELS LIMITED Sir John Hill (Chairman) C. Allday, CBE (Managing Director) Dr. D. G. Avery ((Deputy Managing Director) C. Buck, OBE Dr. N. L. Franklin, C.B.E. J. R. S. Morris P. Shelborne J. Tatlock, MBE

(2) RADIO CHEMICAL CENTRE LIMIITED Sir John Hill (Chairman) W. P. Grove, CBE, PhD, FRIC (Managing Director) C. C. Evans, PhD, ARIC (Deputy Managing Director) A. M. Allen C. M. Beddow, FCA J. S. Burgess, PhD, FRIC T. E. Potts, ERD

Mr. Dodsworth

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report, a table showing how each company constituted under the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1971 is financed, indicating the sources of all grants and loans together with the terms of such loans, the rates of interest due, the amounts repaid and the amounts outstanding at the latest available date.

Mr. Benn

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend gave him on 2nd December 1976 an dto BNFL's Fifth Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which were made available to the Library of the House on 30th July 1976.

Since then BNFL has repaid £300,000 of a £10 million loan made available in 1976 by the Secretary of State which bears interest at 11⅜per cent. BNFL has also concluded a £100 million loan facility with a consortium of private sector banks, which to run its full course will be conditional on the provision of a Government guarantee. The Government intend to take powers to provide such guarantees under the Nuclear Industry (Finance) Bill, which is currently before the House. the terms of the loan are confidential. BNFL also has access to overdraft facilities.