Nuclear Power Stations (Decommissioning)

HC Deb 13 January 1997 vol 288 c20W

Mr. Battle

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost savings to the Treasury from changing the time scale over which nuclear power stations are to be decommissioned. [8048]

Mr. Waldegrave

There are no plans to change the time scale over which nuclear power stations are decommissioned and therefore no estimates of cost savings have been produced.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (i), he, (ii) his Ministers and (iii) his officials have had regarding changing the time scale over which nuclear power stations are to be decommissioned. [8049]

Mr. Waldegrave

The time scale for decommissioning nuclear power stations was addressed in the White Paper, "The Prospects for Nuclear Power in the UK" (Cm 2860) published in May 1995. The financial effects of different decommissioning strategies were considered prior to the privatisation of British Energy. Since then this issue has not been the subject of discussions by me, by my ministerial colleagues or by my officials.