asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many proposals he has approved for heat and power schemes at power stations.

In February this year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy gave consent for the Midlands Electricity Board to initiate a combined heat and power scheme in Hereford. This will be an economic and efficient use of the energy consumed.

May I congratulate the Secretary of State? Is it not imperative that in order to give credence to its national campaign for saving energy the Department should take the lead by reducing the waste of energy at the point of its creation?

My hon. Friend has an important point. Currently we are awaiting the final report of our Working Group on Combined Heat and Power. That report has been delayed slightly. When it is to hand, the Government will give it urgent consideration.

What plans are in hand to make Drax B a combined heat and power station; or do the Government intend to stand by yet again and allow the electricity industry to build another power station which will waste two-thirds of its energy?

I am not aware of any proposals to make Drax B a combined heat and power station. As the hon. Member knows, many of the large power stations which are already producing electricity cannot easily or readily be so converted.