asked the Minister of Power on how many occasions during the last 10 years there have been major accidents, such as to cooling towers, at installations connected with power stations.

No major accident comparable to the collapse of cooling towers at Ferrybridge, has occurred previously.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Central Electricity Generating Board that they shall review the safety of their installations, particularly cooling towers, connected with power stations.

No. I am satisfied that the Board has the question of safety constantly in mind.

asked the Minister of Power what inquiries he makes, in giving capital sanction for new power stations, as to the safety of the installations connected with them; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend gives consent to power stations under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, and capital sanction to programmes, not to individual projects. In the case of conventional stations he does not make any special inquiries into safety aspects before granting consent. In the case of nuclear power stations the Board is subject to the licensing provisions of the Nuclear Installations (Licensing & Insurance) Act, 1959.