asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is yet in a position to report upon the inquiry made by his Department into the practicability of schemes for the utilisation of the tidal waters of the Severn for the production of electric current; and what conclusions have been reached.

The construction of, and experiments with, a tidal model, which are an essential preliminary to further consideration of the project for a Severn barrage will take two years, and no final conclusions can be reached in the meantime.