§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the principles upon which he monitors the effect of aggregate dredging on coastal defences and erosion of beaches.
§ Mr. ChopeGovernment policy, set out in minerals planning guidance note 6, is that licences to dredge for sand and gravel are not and will not be granted by the Crown Estate if it is likely that coastal erosion would result.
The arrangements for consulting Government Departments and other bodies on applications to dredge minerals from United Kingdom territorial waters and the United Kingdom continental shelf ensure that all proposals are referred to consultants for professional advice at an early stage. If these investigations demonstrate an unavoidable risk of coast erosion, the Crown Estate would reject the application without further consideration.
The responsibility for the monitoring of coastal defences and erosion of beaches lies with the appropriate individual local authority.