§ Lord WAKEFIELD of KENDALasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a full study will be made of the purpose and functions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the USA with a view to improving the management of the seabed resources of the territorial waters and Continental Shelf of Great Britain, in view of the fact that there are no organisations, public or private, in the United Kingdom equipped to understand or administer policies of comprehensive management of our United Kingdom seabed resources; and whether there will be consultation with the surveying and other professional institutions on how best such comprehensive management can be achieved.
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (Lord Carrington)The Department of Energy and the fisheries departments are responsible for the management of the mineral and living resources within the United Kingdom's maritime jurisdiction. As to such co-ordination as may be necessary, I would refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my 1121WA noble friend Lord Trefgarne on 20th November 1979 and to the speech by my noble friend the Lord Advocate in this House on 20th February. Her Majesty's Government do not believe that a study of the type proposed would be of practical value.