§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of Cardiff Bay development corporation concerning the rise in the cost of construction of the proposed Cardiff bay barrage since November 1990; to what extent such an increase is attributable to(a) inflation and (b) design changes; for (b) if he will give details; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David HuntI have regular discussions with the chairman of Cardiff Bay development corporation about a range of issues, as do my officials and officers of the corporation.
In November 1990 the development corporation issued and EC prequalification notice which showed the estimated cost of construction of the proposed Cardiff bay barrage as £86 million at November 1988 prices. No recosting exercise was undertaken for the purposes of the prequalification notice since it was intended to be purely indicative for companies with an interest in tendering formally at a later stage. The equivalent figure in the prequalification notice issued this month was £112 million at 1991–92 prices.
Of the change, £7.9 million is attributable to design changes and the remainder to inflation and roundings in the November 1988 price figure.
The main details of the design changes were:
- (i) outer harbour dredging;
- (ii) additional fish pass requirements;
- (iii) change to the way in which the barrage meets land at Queen Alexandra dock;
- (iv) change of embankment cross section;
- (v) amendments to the design and size of the then proposed feeding ground at Wentloog lagoon.