HC Deb 02 June 1992 vol 208 c502W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the energy technology support unit.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 22 May 1992]: The ETSU is a unit within the UK Atomic Energy Authority which provides management and other services to a number of my Department's energy R and D programmes, including that on renewable energy.

My Department is considering a recommendation in a recent Energy Select Committee report on renewable energy that an analysis be undertaken of the costs and benefits of separating ETSU from the UKAEA in order to demonstrate its impartiality. The Government will be giving their response to the Committee recommendation in due course.