§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy how much of his Department's budget is spent on research into energy production from solar power, windmills and in harnessing wave power, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the current state of each programme.
§ Mr. EadieResearch and development funds for renewable energy sources are allocated on a programme basis. My Department is carrying out a four-year programme on solar energy costing £3.6 million, bringing the total Government expenditure over that period to £6 million, and a two- to three-year programme on wave energy costing £2.5 million. To date, my Department has allocated funds for two industry-based studies relating to wind energy, one on a joint-funded basis costing £160,000 of which my Department will be paying £75,000 and the other a fully funded study at a cost to my Department of £92,000. As current programmes and studies yield results expenditure on those sources will be increased, as appropriate, to allow further development work to proceed.