HC Deb 24 June 1992 vol 210 cc216-7W
Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 18 June, Official Report, columns 612–13, what proposals he has for a further re-advertisement of the proposed Cardiff bay barrage in the supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities utilising the amended figure of £106 million as the estimated cost; what consultations he has had with the European regional development fund concerning grant aid for the barrage proposal; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt

As I explained in my answer of 16 June 1992, the figure in the pre-qualification notice is intended to be purely indicative. Cardiff Bay development corporation has no plans to publish a further notice. An application for assistance from the European regional development fund could not be made before the Bill had received Royal Assent.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 18 June, Official Report, column 613, for what reason it was decided to increase the quantity of structural concrete from 125,000 m3 to 140,000 m3 and the amount of steel sheet piling from 17,000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes between the original advertisement in the supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities dated 14 November 1990 and the most recent re-advertisement dated 5 June 1992.

Mr. David Hunt

The estimated quantities of both steel sheet piling and concrete have increased in the course of the detailed design of the barrage. In addition, the amount of sheet piling was increased following agreement with the National Rivers Authority on the requirements of the fish pass.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with(a) Mr. Ray Stoner, (b) the chairman of Cardiff Bay development corporation, (c) Cardiff city council engineering department and (d) the National Rivers Authority concerning the estimated likely date of completion of the studies into dewatering wells and retrofitted land drains as a means of deflecting the side-effects of rising groundwater from the proposed Cardiff Bay barrage; and what proposals he has for consultation on and publication of such proposals.

Mr. David Hunt

Study of the feasibility of dewatering wells is continuing and I shall publish a report when the work is completed. I shall be seeking the views of Mr. Stoner, the CBDC, Cardiff city council and the NRA on the results. It would not be appropriate to pursue the option of retrofitting land drains in advance of the outcome of the dewatering studies.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further information he has on the choice, evaluation, attraction and development of "people draw" activities under the aegis of Cardiff Bay development corporation used in pursuance of the £25 million total expenditure allocated for that purpose in annexes C and D of the financial memorandum of the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill.

Mr. David Hunt

The financial memorandum of the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill does not mention £25 million to be allocated to "people draw" activities. I believe the hon. Gentleman to be referring to annexes C and D of the letter of 13 December 1990 sent by the previous Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands).

Cardiff Bay development corporation intends the major "people draw" activity in this area to be a national science centre based on Techniquest. Proposals for the next stage of development are currently being considered.