§ 6. Mr. McNamaraasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what action he is taking to encourage the production of sand and gravel from the sea to supplement supplies from the land.
§ Mr. MellishI am exploring with other interested Departments and authorities the possibility of increasing the production of sand and gravel from the sea, for which it is clear there will be an increasing need. My Department has also discussed the problem with the Sand and Gravel Association.
§ Mr. McNamaraI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Can he give some information about the comparative cost of land- and sea-produced gravel? Can he say whether he is satisfied that the saline content of sea gravel can be effectively eradicated? What effect has this extraction on coast erosion?
§ Mr. MellishI cannot give an exact answer off the cuff about the cost, but the amount of sand we are now getting from the sea is 7 per cent. or 8 per cent. of total deliveries from all sources. We forecast that this year about 8.5 million tons of sand will be taken from the sea.
Mr. Geoffrey WilsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that 10 million tons of china clay sand are produced in Cornwall and it is excellent for building materials but the chief difficulty is transport charges? Has he looked into this matter to see whether this sand could be put to proper use?
§ Mr. MellishI have met the sand and gravel people. They are extremely bright and I do not have to tell them how to get their sand.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that if we take sand from the seashore there is great danger of erosion and that we must pay attention to this?
§ Mr. MellishOf course I understand that. The responsibility for granting licences for both prospecting and exploration licences lies with the Crown Estate Commissioners. They consult other Departments and planning authorities about such matters as fisheries and coast erosion.