§ Mr. Sternasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that vessels over 10,000 dwt can continue to use the ports of the Severn estuary for the foreseeable future.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerIf it is eventually decided to construct a Severn barrage, then the capacity of the locks built into it would determine the size of vessels that could use the ports above the barrage line. On this point, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 1 December 1986 at column502. I am aware of no other foreseeable new restriction on access to ports in the estuary.