§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West,Official Report, 25 April, column 500, he will indicate (a) when he expects the Energy Council to adopt the three proposed energy research programmes and (b) how the parts of the 1990–94 third framework programme on energy research and development have been funded to date.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryA common position has been reached on the proposed non-nuclear energies programme of the third framework programme. Under the co-operation procedure the European Parliament will now consider the programme, which should finally be adopted by September.
The programmes proposed for nuclear fission safety and for controlled nuclear fusion are both at early stages of discussion and are unlikely to be adopted before the autumn. These two programmes have come forward under the provisions of the Euratom treaty and therefore are not subject to the Community's co-operation procedure.
The third framework programme was originally intended to be implemented in the years 1990–94, inclusive. To date, however, none of the individual programmes has been formally adopted, and no funds from the third framework programme have yet become available.