§ Mr. Monroasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further consideration he is giving to the Solway Barrage scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ross:Pilot studies of the Solway Firth and Morecambe Bay were carried out in 1965 and 1966. In the light of these studies, it was decided on the advice of the Water Resources Board that further examination of the Morecambe Bay 61W project should be given priority over that for the Solway, since the areas most in need of water could be more economically supplied from Morecambe Bay. Further consideration of the Solway scheme depends partly on the outcome of the further detailed study of Morecambe Bay and also on whether larger scale developments in the Solway area might or might not be required in the long term.