§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what in- 812W vestigations have been made of the mineral potential of the sea bed seaward of the proposed 200 miles national limit of the United Kingdom but landward of the 600 metre submarine contours.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the estimated areas of sea bed around the British coast which exist beyond a Continental Shelf depth of 600 metres and up to a distance of 200 miles from the United Kingdom coast; and what is the estimated mineral wealth it contains.
§ Mr. MulleyI refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy on 22nd July to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott)—[Vol. 915, c. 581]. I would add that institutions supported by the Natural Environment Research Council have undertaken initial reconnaissance of the sea bed around the British Isles and test borings have been made by the International Phase of Ocean Drilling. These operations constitute a necessary preliminary to industrial surveys of mineral potential.