§ Mr. Wyn GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to reverse the provision of the European Community directive on environmental assessment 84/337/EEC which excludes from mandatory environmental assessment major projects such as port expansion, docks and estuarial barrages effected through private Bills.
§ Mr. WaldegraveArticle 1.5 of the directive provides
This Directive shall not apply to projects the details of which are adopted by a specific act of national legislation, since the objectives of this Directive, including that of supplying information, are achieved through the legislative process".22W Private Bill procedures are matters for Parliament and are at present under consideration by the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedure.