§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current annual expenditure of his Department on coastal protection.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartGrants by my Department to river authorities and their predecessors towards capital works of improvement to sea and tidal defences have been running at just under £1 million per annum. Grants towards expenditure by local authorities on works to arrest coast erosion are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.