§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Gordon in theOfficial Report, 21 February, column 772, he will indicate which of the countries listed include expenditure on nuclear research and development in their renewable energy budget, giving details of the relative proportions of nuclear research and development and renewable energies research and development in each of these cases, if known.
§ Mr. WakehamWhile some of the countries listed spend substantial sums on their nuclear R and D programmes within their total energy R and D budgets, these sums are not included within the renewables element. The effect of a nuclear energy research and development programme is generally to increase the total size of the energy research and development programme and thus reduce the proportion of the total energy research and development programme spent on renewable energy development. The table sets out the budgets of different IEA Governments in 1988 on renewables R and D, nuclear R and D and expresses these as a percentage of the total energy R and D budgets.
the reduction in SO2 emissions set out in the consultative document on implementation of the large combustion plants directive by 1993.
§ Mr. WakehamI am advised by the Central Electricity Generating Board that, when fully operational, the flue gas desulphurisation installation at Drax is likely to reduce the station's emissions of sulphur dioxide by about 250,000 to 280,000 tonnes.