Assembly Government should get behind lagoon plan says AM

1.39.18pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 22nd Jul 2006

The Labour Assembly Government should take its cue from MPs, get off the fence and give its full backing to plans to build a tidal power lagoon in Swansea Bay, according to the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black.

Mr. Black was speaking in the light of a report by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee which identified the potential of the project to meet the City's future energy needs. The Committee expressed concern about the way that the Department for Trade and Industry has handled the scheme so far, alleging that errors by DTI officials have undermined and delayed it.

"One of the reasons why the DTI was allowed to get away with its mishandling of this scheme was the lukewarm approach of the Assembly Government to the lagoon," alleged Mr. Black. "If the relevant Welsh ministers had been proactively driving forward this project with the same enthusiasm and commitment they have shown for wind power then the official's errors could have been identified earlier and overcome."

"Although the responsibility for this level of energy production lies with the DTI, the Welsh Assembly Government have a major role to play in both promoting it, setting a policy context for it and in helping to attract investors. So far they have not been very prominent in the way they have promoted the tidal lagoon project for Swansea Bay."

"Labour politicians need to understand that the promotion of alternative energy is not just about building endless wind farms. There is a need for diversity here too, and the tidal lagoon project offers a unique opportunity to put existing technology to good use to generate large amounts of electricity in a sustainable way, whilst at the same time commanding wide public support. The Welsh Assembly Government need to do better."