§ Mr. Trewasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated costs of the downstream flood defences associated with, or arising from, the proposed Thames flood barrier, separately in the Greater London Council area in Kent and in Essex.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI have been asked to reply.
The provisional estimate of the Greater London Council for the cost of raising the walls for which it is responsible is 191W about £19 million. The Essex and Kent River Authorities are at present considering the standards, extent and nature of works in their areas in the light of the effects of barrier closure on river levels, coupled with further improvements as appropriate. No reliable estimates of these costs can be made until further investigations have been carried out.