HC Deb 14 November 1966 vol 736 cc2-4
1. Mr. Pym

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will make a statement about the Government's decision not to proceed with the feasibility study of The Wash barrage scheme, as recommended by the Water Resources Board.

6. Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources why he decided not to adopt the Water Resources Board's recommendation for a feasibility study of The Wash barrage;and when the general review of regional storage schemes, as proposed in the Board's report on the South-East, will be carried out.

7. Sir D. Renton

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources, whether he will now announce the Government's decision with regard to the prospects of building a Wash barrage.

The Minister of Land and Natural Resources (Mr. Frederick Willey)

I welcome this chance to emphasise that the Government have not yet committed themselves either for or against a feasibility study of The Wash barrage project. The question whether, and if so when, such a study should be put in hand turns on a number of factors which are still being examined. Meanwhile the Water Resources Board and the river authorities are making arrangements for the other investigations recommended in the Board's report, and several of these are already under way.

Mr. Pym

Be that as it may, will the Minister not admit that the Water Resources Board saw fit to advise and recommend that the feasability study should be undertaken immediately, and will he not agree that, even if he authorised the study today, the majority of the expenditure to be incurred would not arise until after the end of the period of severe restraint?

Mr. Willey

I would accept the latter point, but the hon. Gentleman will realise—he has looked at the report—that many factors must be taken into account, and the phasing of this must also be considered.

Mr. Griffiths

Is it not a fact that the Minister originally said that he accepted the report of the Water Resources Board? Is he not going back on this, at least in part, in saying that he will not go ahead with the feasibility study at the moment? Some of my constituents admitted surveyors to their land in the belief that he had accepted the report and would not have done so if they had realised that he would go back on part of what he said.

Mr. Willey

No, Sir. As I said in my original reply, this is still under examination. Many factors arise from the report, and these are being considered.

Sir D. Renton

Is the Minister aware that in its first year a feasability study is not likely to cost even as much as £100,000? Will he give a firm assurance that the Government are not closing their mind on the principle of a feasibility study?

Mr. Willey

I assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman, on his latter point, that this is still being considered. On his first point, a feasibility study is a very expensive project and I would not accept what he has said.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

What is the reason for the procrastination?

Mr. Willey

The reason is that which I have given, that this raises many complicated issues. We are dealing with more immediate questions that have arisen from the report and are mean- while further considering the question of the feasibility study.