§ Mr. PriorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the feasibility of the Severn Barrage scheme; and in what ways her Department plans to support its development. [36600]
§ Mr. BattleOverall assessments summarising work across all technologies, including the prospects for tidal power technology and for the Severn Barrage, were last published in 1994 as Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) report R-82, "An Assessment of Renewable Energy for the UK" and Energy Paper 62, entitled "New and Renewable Energy Technology: Future Prospects for the UK", copies of which are in the Library of the House.
This Government propose to undertake a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources. DTI Ministers are engaged in reviewing policy, including considerations of what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10% of UK electricity needs from renewables by the year 2010 and how renewables can make an effective contribution to meeting requirements for future greenhouse gas reduction commitments. Tidal power technology is being considered in that review, the outcome of which will be announced later this year. It is expected that a new overall assessment of the technologies will be published later this year.