§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made with the hardware contract for the Drax B power station; and when he now expects manufacturing work to commence.
§ Mr. BennI am advised by the Central Electricity Generating Board that discussions of hardware contracts are expected to continue for some time. As I said on 8th November—[Vol. 938, c. 91]—it is not possible to give precise timings for the commencement of manufacturing work, but depending on the satisfactory completion of commercial negotiations and progress with the design phase contracts, the Board anticipate that manufacturing work could begin in the first part of this year. I understand that the design phase contracts for the boilers and turbines are in fact proceeding, and that some orders for materials have already been placed.