§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure compliance by the Felixstowe Dock and Railway company with the terms of his consent issued under section 6 of the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Act 1988, for the phase one reclamation by the company of lands at Fagbury.
§ Mr. Trippier[holding answer 30 June 1989]: The Department's primary concern for limiting the consent under section 6(3) of the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Act 1988 to phase one reclamation by the Felixstowe Dock and Railway company was to ensure that the environmental effects, in particular the damage and disturbance to the birds, were minimised.
Before issuing the consent, I had regard to the various agreements and undertakings entered into by or on behalf of the company during the passage of the Act in respect of the establishment of a nature reserve at Trimley marshes, landscaping and other matters. I also had regard to the agreement reached between the Nature Conservancy Council and the company subsequent to the passage of the Act for a programme of ornithological and hydrological monitoring studies within the Orwell estuary to identify changes in the bird population and their habitats resulting from phase one of the works.
It is up to the parties to the various agreements to monitor the situation and seek compliance with the terms of the agreement. It is understood from the Nature Conservancy Council that the ornithological monitoring studies are progressing satisfactorily.