Part of Fuel and Electricity (Control) Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 29 November 1973.
Mr Kenneth Warren
, Hastings
12:00,
29 November 1973
I cannot agree with the hon. Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Palmer) in his attempt to exclude electricity, but I have some sympathy with him about the wording of the Preamble, because it is not really clear, as it ought to be, that what is sought is temporary provisions for controlling the production, supply, acquisition and use of fuel of all kinds. The fact that electricity has been added as an apparent afterthought is perhaps the reason for his Amendment. I do not believe that one can separate the items along the chain of fuel production, whether the output happens to be gas, oil or electricity to the consumer. What one has to define is the primary point of production about which we are concerned—and that is the point at which something becomes usable by a consumer in the home or in industry.
It is interesting to find that we have a debate developing in which the Opposition appear to desire freedom and on this side there is a desire for control. No doubt the Minister will be able to help me out of that pitfall, into which I would not wish to fall without his aid.
I have some sympathy with the point of the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) about civil nuclear energy. I received on 12th November a most useful reply from the Minister about the amount of money put into civil nuclear research over the last 10 years. At first sight, it seems that the expenditure has been stable, but if one looks at the figures one sees that in 1963–64 £53 million was spent, which dropped to a low of £41 million in 1968–69, representing in real terms a drop to £33 million. In 1972–73, the last complete year for which we have figures, the expenditure was £49 million, which in 1963 terms represents £30 million. So we are down to just over half what we were spending 10 years ago. This is very serious, when we should be considering every possible alternative source of fuel.
8.30 p.m.
I wonder whether we should not examine the Canadian project very carefully before committing ourselves to a doubtful American reactor whose safety standards have yet to be proved to our satisfaction. We should consider this carefully perhaps, not only in the context of United Kngdom usage but in terms of European usage. As a member of the Select Committee on Science and Technology and of the Council of Europe, I shall be one of those who go to Canada next year to see their progress. I hope that we shall have a statement before the recess in the terms for which the hon. Member asked.
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