§ 3.17 p.m.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why it is proposed to give priority for a full feasibility study of a barrage for Morecambe Bay, in preference to the Solway, in view of the need for additional water supplies for the North-East as well as for the North-West and 1050 the fact that a Solway barrage is far easier, quicker and cheaper to construct.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)My Lords, the Answer to the noble Lord's Question is that the Water Resources Board advised us that using Morecambe Bay was likely to be cheaper, chiefly because it is closer than Solway to the places where the water will mainly be needed.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, arising out of that reply, for which I thank the noble Lord, since the Water Resources Board's report refers only to the conservation and transport of water, I should like to ask to what extent the Government have considered such things as communications, power generation, fisheries, amenities and other relevant matters in determining priorities for a full feasibility study. Taking these various things into account, and in view of the time factor, would not the noble Lord agree that it is desirable to carry out a feasibility study of the Solway scheme as well? It is possible that the Morecambe Bay feasibility study might not come up to expectations, and, in case that should be so, it might be very desirable to have available a feasibility study of the Solway, in order that not only water but all the other matters can be taken into full account.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I hesitate to call these other matters subsidiary but they were taken into account in desk studies carried out on both Morecambe Bay and Solway. Since a feasibility study is such an extremely expensive thing, and takes several years to carry out, the Government felt it would be more reasonable to do the one which looked better on the basis of the desk studies.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, would not the noble Lord agree that, because of this very time factor of several years, it would be highly desirable to have a feasibility study of the Solway barrage, as well, so that a true comparison could be obtained, not only of water resources but of all the other matters to which I have referred. A proper judgment can then be made, in 1051 the light of this full and complete feasibility study of this very important and, if carried out, very costly undertaking.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I should be the first to agree that it would be desirable to do both feasibility studies, but the Government were not convinced that the benefits to be reaped by the national community as a whole would have been commensurate with the vast outlay required to carry out the two studies.
§ LORD MOLSONMy Lords, in the recent Report of the Water Resources Board it was stated that, as a measure of economy, the Government had not authorised any practical investigation of the feasibility. It may be that I overlooked, or that I have not seen, some statement in the Press. Are we to understand that the Government have authorised fairly considerable expenditure in examining the possibility of the Morecambe Bay barrage?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, the Government have authorised a full feasibility study of the Morecambe Bay barrage.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, can the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, tell the House the main points of difference in the desk study of the relevant merits of the Morecambe Bay barrage scheme and the Solway Firth barrage scheme? If it is not convenient to give an answer to-day, would he put the information in the Library?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, these main points of difference have been published, and I will ensure that they are made available in the Library.
§ LORD PEDDIEMy Lords, do I understand from my noble friend's reply that the feasibility study in connection with the Solway Firth will not be undertaken until the Morecambe Bay study is completed?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, it will not be undertaken at the moment.
§ LORD PEDDIEMy Lords, I must point out that that was no answer to my question.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, whether the Government have taken full 1052 account of the comments of the Water Resources Board, at the bottom of page 4 of the Report of these desk studies; to wit, that if the Morecambe Bay barrage scheme comes up to expectations, it will make it possible to switch Lake District resources now used in Lancashire to meet the growing demands of the Cumberland and Northumberland river authority areas? Will the noble Lord please look into the comments to which I have referred and which could be very dangerous, and see that nothing is done which transgresses what has come to be known as the Cross man assurances on which many people in the North-West of England have pinned their faith?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, the Government have taken into account the observations of the Water Resources Board read out by the noble Lord.
§ LORD STRATHCLYDEMy Lords, can the noble Lord give any information of the cost of this feasibility study?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, the probable cost has been published, but I regret that I do not have a note of it with me. I must therefore refer the noble Lord to the publication which has already been made and which I have undertaken will be put in the Library.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDIs it about a million-and-a-half pounds?
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, may we take it that Her Majesty's Government will reconsider the question of a feasibility study for the Wash, because if the system of recharging the aquifers in the South-East of England is not a success, the Wash water will be urgently required in twenty years' time?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, that is a separate question.
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, would the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, give an undertaking that the feasibility study of the Solway will at least be undertaken in time to fit in with the development plan now under contemplation for South-West Scotland?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I regret that I cannot give any undertaking about the timing of a possible feasibility study of the Solway Firth barrage.