§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his reply of 26 April,Official Report, column 614, what was the annual expenditure in each year since 1979 of his Department in R and D on (a) nuclear fusion, (b) nuclear fission, (c) cleaner coal combustion technologies, (d) solar photovoltaics, (e) electrical energy storage and (f) wind powered generation.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryIn order to make a meaningful comparison between the various technologies, due account should be taken of the total level of public sector expenditure—for example, over £500 million was spent in the public sector over the last decade on R and D on coal utilisation technologies. Comparable figures are not readily available for the other technologies mentioned, and I shall write to the hon. Member when more information has been obtained.