Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What practical steps they are taking to facilitate the introduction of a commercial demonstration plant for clean coal technology. [HL2568]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Clinton-Davis)The Department of Trade and Industry is supporting a wide range of research and development projects specifically designed to encourage the commercial take up of clean coal technologies. The programme is undertaken in collaboration with UK industry and universities. As part of the UK Foresight programme a detailed action plan is being prepared by an industry-led task force to define with costs and timescales, a targeted research, development and demonstration programme for the clean coal power generation sector. Copies of a brochure which outlines details of the work of the industry-led task force have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
We shall be publishing an Energy Paper setting out our new policy on clean coal technology later this Summer.