HC Deb 31 January 1980 vol 977 cc777-8W
Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he favours the early transfer of freight traffic from road to rail in the light of the forecasts made by his Department's representative at the Vale of Belvoir public inquiry on 8 January: and whether he favours a maxi-

Mr. Norman Lamont

Apart from Drax, the last coal-fired station to be authorised and built was Didcot, which first supplied full load in 1975. The CEGB has planned the development of generating capacity at Drax as one station, although construction has proceeded in two separate stages. The first three units first supplied full load in 1976; the completion of Drax is planned for 1986.

Proposals for new power stations are in the first instance mattters for the electricity boards.