§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the impact on investment of the extended moratorium on the construction of gas-fired power stations. [54003]
§ Mr. BattleIn relation to gas-fired power stations, if, as a result of a stricter consents policy, plant does not proceed which otherwise would have done, then the corresponding investment will obviously not take place. It is not possible to quantify the overall effect precisely, because both the number of applications which would be made, and whether they would have actually gone ahead, are uncertain.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry until what date he proposes to continue the moratorium on the building of new gas-fired power stations. [54237]
§ Mr. BattleI refer the hon. Member to paragraph 2 of chapter 5 of the consultation document on the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation, published on 25 June 1998.
§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the arrangements under which companies with consent to build or run gas power stations may buy gas on long-term contract. [54120]
772W
§ Mr. MandelsonThis is a matter upon which views were sought in the consultation on the preliminary conclusions of the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation. We shall be announcing our conclusions shortly, once the responses to the consultation have been assessed.