HC Deb 04 March 1987 vol 111 cc868-9
13. Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will establish a register of the current development proposals which affect conservation interests in the estuaries of Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

No, Sir. My Department is aware of a number of proposals, some of which would seem to have major impacts on ecologically important estuaries; others less so. Each individual proposal would have to be assessed on its merits at the time.

Mr. Carlisle

Is my hon. Friend aware that our estuaries are threatened by development as never before? Does he accept that 90 per cent. of the birds that overwinter here do so in 37 estuaries and that most of those 37 estuaries are now subject to development proposals? In view of that massive threat to wildlife in our estuaries and because of our duties under the Ramsar convention will he undertake an urgent review?

Mr. Waldegrave

I shall certainly bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind because what he says is important and true and many proposals seem to be coming forward at present. Some do not have such dire effects as my hon. Friend suggests, but others are serious. It is open to an inspector or a planning committee to consider the cumulative effect of the developments and it is important that they do so in due course.

Mr. Allan Roberts

Is the Minister aware that one development on the Mersey estuary involves a sewage plant which will, for the first time, take raw sewage from the Liverpool area and treat it so that it is not pushed into the Mersey? That treatment is only a primary treatment, so that solids do not go on to Blackpool beach, but other pollutants will. If the water authorities are self-financing, as the Minister said earlier, will he release them from public sector borrowing requirement restrictions and allow them to borrow the money to do the job properly, so that when Mr. and Mrs. Ramsbottom do not take Albert to the zoo, where he would be eaten by a lion, but take him instead to swim on the beach, he will not get poisoned by pollution?

Mr. Waldegrave

At Question Time today we have already considered the brass neck that is necessary for the Labour party to talk about investment in the water industry because it slashed the industry to pieces. I am sure that the scheme which the North-West water authority is introducing will have proper environmental consequences and will be properly designed.