§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will instruct National Power to use the desulphurisation-equipped generators at Drax power station to their full capacity; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsAs I indicated in answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on 22 November—Official Report, columns 66–67— Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution currently in discussion with the generators both about the operation of their FGD-equipped plant in the context of each company's overall generating operations and more generally about improvement programmes for all of the companies' stations. Decision on these questions will be taken in the light of an assessment of what constitutes BATNEEC—best available techniques not entailing excessive costs.