Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of their strategy for the diversification of energy supply, they will re-examine proposals for the construction of a Mersey barrage to generate tidal power.

The Government remains open to well-developed proposals for harnessing tidal range energy, provided that such proposals can demonstrate energy system benefits, plausible environmental impact mitigation strategies, and value for money.