§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in considering Export Credits Guarantee Department support for the Ilisu Dam project in Turkey, they will take into consideration the seismic risks of the dam; and whether they will ask the Turkish authorities to allow free access to the dam site and its neighbourhood by journalists from Europe. [HL1167]
The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Salisbury of Turville)It is the responsibility of a dam's designers to assess seismic risks and design the dam accordingly. We understand that the designers of the Ilisu dam (a UK led consortium of consultants) have taken full cognisance of seismic risk. We also expect the issues to be addressed in the Environmental Risk Assessment Report.
We do not intend to ask the Turkish authorities to allow free access to the dam site and its neighbourhood by journalists from Europe.