§ Viscount Hanworthasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they still intend to keep a balance of different generating capacity; and what action they propose to take if there is insufficient capital from private sources to construct a new nuclear station.
Earl FerrersThe Government believe that secure, diverse and sustainable supplies of energy can be best achieved by means of competitive markets. The Government's recent review of the prospects for nuclear power revealed no compelling reasons for supposing that the market will not of its own accord provide an appropriate level of diversity. The Government therefore concluded that there was currently no case for public financial or equivalent support of new nuclear build on diversity grounds. The Government will, however, examine the emerging fuel mix from time to time, and review the position if developments justify it.