§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of constructing a taxiway parallel to the runway at Aldabra;
26W(2) if he will state the value of his current cost estimate for the proposed staging post on Aldabra Atoll; and if he will give a breakdown of the figures.
§ Mr. MellishIt is not customary to publish estimates of the cost of defence projects before a decision has been made and before contractual arrangements have been completed.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what comparison he has made between construction problems on sandy atolls such as Gan, based on solid rock, and atolls such as Aldabra of elevated honey-combed rock.
§ Mr. MellishMy officials have considerable experience of building at Gan and elsewhere, and have taken this into account in considering the construction problems which would arise at Aldabra. They recognise the differences arising from geological formations and other factors.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the comparative costs of submarine quarrying at Aldabra and Cosmoledo, respectively.
§ Mr. MellishNone.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what survey he has done of the East Channel on Aldabra; and with what results.
§ Mr. MellishEarlier information and soundings, supplemented by inspection during the 1967 visit, have indicated the feasibility of constructing berthing facilities in the East Channel.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what study he has made of underground caves on Aldabra, which could create an unpredictable airfield surface.
§ Mr. MellishThe test borings which have been taken on the airfield site do not indicate the existence of such voids in the platin coral as would cast doubt on the feasibility of constructing a stable airfield surface
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what research 27W he is doing into the cost of building an airfield on Platin Rock at Aldabra; and if he will make a statement on the estimated costs.
§ Mr. MellishTest borings have been taken, pits have been opened by explosives and rock samples have been analysed. These, and many other factors, have been taken into account in formulating the order of cost. It is not customary to publish estimates of cost of defence projects before a decision has been made and before contractual arrangements have been completed.