§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy 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 when the consultants' economic appraisal of the several sites under study for a maritime industrial development area is expected to be received, and what criteria for economic viability have been set.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)My Lords, current studies are aimed in the first instance at determining the economic case for creating new maritime industrial development areas in this country at all. Comparative evaluation of merits of alternative sites will flow from, but cannot precede, this first more fundamental assessment. It is too early yet to decide the detailed criteria appropriate to such comparative appraisal.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply, which at least adds a little to the information given to Parliament in July when we were not told about the fundamental economic appraisal that was required. May I ask the noble Lord whether he would give attention to the fact that the local authorities in a number of the areas which have been declared to be under consideration do not appear to have been consulted at all? Some of them do not even know the names or the identities of the areas being considered, and there appears to be no guidance for hopeful local authorities as to whether or not, for example, the 550 reclamation cost of £1,000 an acre, as has been achieved at Seal Sands, on Teesside, is of the order of magnitude under consideration. Could the noble Lord be a little more forthcoming?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I am grateful to have the opportunity of saying that local authorities should not worry at all. There is as yet no comparison or investigation of any individual possible site. The present investigation is simply into the economic question, whether the concept itself is a good one.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that further reply, which is helpful, so far as it goes. Is he aware that some local authorities are firmly of the belief that a pilot study of three sites is under way and that a good deal of gossip and competitive consultancy is already going on between the local authorities with a view to staking out their claims? Would it not be to everybody's advantage if the Government could tell us much more about their thinking on this subject?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I have already told the House as much as there is to know, and I hope that my words will reassure those local authorities.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, can the noble Lord tell us what is a maritime industrial development area? Is it below the sea or above the sea?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, it is mainly above the sea.