§ 1. Mrs. Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby)To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress his Department has made in drawing up and implementing an integrated coastal zone management plan. [74077]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Elliot Morley)My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has policy responsibility for co-ordinating coastal zone management and his Department has encouraged the production of coastal management plans. They are produced on a local basis to address a broad range of local issues, including flood and coastal defence.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer. As he may be aware, I represent the constituency of Crosby, which is bounded by 20 miles of beautiful north-west coastline, for which a coastal management plan is currently being—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. It is not in order to read questions.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasI am so sorry, Madam Speaker.
I support the coastal management plan, but I want to ensure that people in my community, who have a vested interest in it, are part of the consultation team. What reassurances can my hon. Friend give me that my constituents, as well as the experts, will also be part of the consultation process?
§ Mr. MorleyMy hon. Friend made a powerful case on behalf of her constituents in our recent debate on the Select Committee report on flood and coastal defence. I assure her that local authorities are involved in the drawing up of coastal and shoreline management plans for flood and coastal defence, and local people can make representations. As a Member of Parliament, she can make direct representations. Given the powerful case that she has already made on behalf of her constituents, I am sure that she will not be slow to do so.