To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress towards the placing of firm contracts for the Severn electricity generating barrage.

Any substantial further developments of the Severn barrage, as with other renewable energy schemes, will depend on commercial decisions made by the private sector.Recent studies by the Severn tidal power group, partly funded by the Department, omitted consideration of organisation and financing problems. Work on these topics together with further work on environmental issues will be carried out over the next two years.