§ 2.41 p.m.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy 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 whether they have yet made a decision 1838 to proceed with the Morecambe Bay Barrage, and, if so, with what form of barrage, as a contribution to the fresh water supplies in the North-West of England.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, no decision on the Morecambe Bay Barrage Scheme can be taken until the water storage aspects can be evaluated in the light of the Water Res ources Board's report on national water strategies, which it is hoped will be published in the early autumn.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he will represent to the water authorities, present and shortly to be, that if you need to get water for the great conurbations it is better to get it from the sea end of a river than from the river itself or the lakes above it, because thereby you allow the water to contribute to amenities and farming and everything else, and you catch the water just before it becomes salinated instead of robbing the land of it?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I take the noble Lord's point and I think that the Government are well aware of this. The Water Resources Board will advise what is possible and what they recommend. In any case the environmental considerations will be taken into account.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, have the Government received a report yet upon the practicability of this Morecambe Bay project? In particular, are they aware of the fact that there is a considerable risk of silting in the harbours adjacent to Morecambe Bay if this project is carried out?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, the report has been published, as the noble Lord, Lord Wynne-Jones, is probably aware; and we are well aware of the problems at Heysham.