HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc1044-5W
Paul Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to increase tidal and wave generated electricity in Wales. [94253]

Peter Hain

I maintain a close interest in proposals being taken forward or considered by the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Assembly for Wales and Welsh local planning authorities.

For example, the Department of Trade and Industry recently announced that Tidal Hydraulic Generators Ltd, who operate out of Broad Haven in Pembrokeshire, will receive £1.6m to develop and test a tidal stream prototype which could be deployed in areas of fast tidal flow around the world.

As the recently published Energy White Paper states "We are determined that wave and tidal technologies should be given the opportunity to play the fullest part they can in the expansion from renewables. This in turn can create another significant opportunity, with word-wide application, for our manufacturing sector".