§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether the Government has yet reached conclusions 165W on the National Port Council's proposals in respect of new maritime industrial development areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShoreA report by Sir William Halcrow and Partners, consultant engineers—commissioned by the National Ports Council in co-operation with the Government Departments concerned—has already established that there are a number of sites where such developments would be physically feasible. The sites in question were (from north to south):
and a separate study has shown the Clyde Estuary also to meet the necessary physical criteria. The Government have now initiated a further series of studies, with the object of assessing the industrial implications, and the economic costs and benefits, of undertaking such development.
- Cromarty Firth
- Outer Firth of Tay
- Upper Firth of Forth
- Tees Estuary
- Lune Estuary
- Humberside
- The Wash
- Cardiff-Newport
- Thames-Medway
- Weston-super-Mare-Clevendon:
Maritime industrial development areas would comprise complexes of bulk processing and associated industries alongside new major port facilities. Similar industrial complexes have been, or are being, established at a number of centres in countries abroad. It is obviously important that we should consider most carefully the possible contribution that maritime industrial development areas might make to the greater efficiency and competitive power of the British economy.