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Proceeding contribution from Lord Hain (Labour) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 10 March 2011. It occurred during Grand Committee proceedings (HC) on UK Government's Energy Policy.


UK Government's Energy Policy

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend because to deny south-west Wales the enormous economic opportunity provided by electrification is both inexplicable cost-wise and unacceptable energy-wise. Is the Secretary of State saying that, having admirably committed £1 billion to electrify to south Wales, the Government do not think Swansea is worth a tenth of that? The Railway Safety and Standards Board showed that, taking into account all economic benefits, the benefit-to-cost ratio for electrification all the way to Swansea would be 2:2, compared with a benefit-to-cost ratio on the same basis for Crossrail, which the Government are supporting, of 1:9. The Treasury rule of thumb is that a BCR of 2 is needed for a project to have a good business case, and Swansea clearly meets that criterion.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
WGC c22 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
Subjects
Conservation Coal Carbon capture and storage Energy Electricity generation Nuclear power Railways Prices Wales Renewable energy Electrification
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk