§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now publish in full his Department's revised approach to sand and gravel extraction in England and Wales.
§ Sir George YoungThe Department has published revised planning guidelines for aggregates provision in England and Wales for public consultation. The consultation period ends on 31 March and the guidelines will be published once the public response has been assessed.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been carried out by his Department into the use of recycled material as an alternative to aggregate extraction; what other examination his Department has made of ways of reducing the demand for aggregates in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. BaldryMy Department has commissioned a number of studies into ways of achieving more efficient use of aggregates, including research into the occurrence and utilisation of mineral and construction wastes. No research has been undertaken into reducing directly the demand for aggregates, which is a reflection of the demands made by society on the construction industry.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigation he plans to carry out into the comparative environmental problems and benefits between developing coastal superquarries and inland sources of aggregates; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryRegional commentaries produced by the regional aggregates working parties indicate that traditional sources of primary aggregates will not be able to meet all anticipated demand over the next 20 years without some unacceptable environmental implications. My Department is therefore considering a range of options for meeting future demand. Any proposals for the development of coastal superquarries will be assessed on their merits and full regard will be had to their possible environmental impact.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the figures for the consumption of the different types of aggregates including crushed rock, sand and gravel, marine dredged sand and gravel, secondary aggregates and recycled materials, as used by different industries in each year since 1985; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryThe proportions of the total consumption of primary aggregates (sand and gravel and crushed rock) accounted for by particular sectors of the construction industry in England and Wales in 1990 have been estimated by ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd. as:
Per cent. Housing 20 Roads (including Bridges) 24 Private Industrial 11 Private Commercial 12 Other Public 13 Road Repair and Maintenance 8 Housing Repair and Maintenance 8 Other 3 No detailed statistics are available on the use of different types of aggregates by these separate sectors.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what expertise exists in the national co-ordinating group and each of the regional aggregates working parties to assess the potential for synthetic and waste materials as alternatives to aggregates; what consultations each of these bodies has with environmental and other interests in carrying out their duties; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryThese groups possess no specific expertise on secondary and waste materials for aggregates use. In addition to these groups, however, the Department also receives advice from consultants and the appropriate trade associations. Consultations have also taken place with environmental and other interests on the regional commentaries produced by the regional aggregates108W working parties and my Department has taken the responses into consideration in the revised guidelines for aggregates provision which have been published for consultation.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much(a) crushed rock, (b) sand and gravel, (c) marine dredged sand and gravel, (d) secondary aggregates and (e) recycled materials have been (i) imported into the United Kingdom and (ii) exported from the United Kingdom for 1985 until the latest available date; if he will list the countries involved; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryVery little crushed rock, land-won sand and gravel or secondary and recycled aggregates have been imported or exported to or from the United Kingdom since 1985. Total exports and imports of these aggregates are estimated to account for les than 1 per cent. of total United Kingdom aggregates production and consumption.
Marine sand and gravel dredged in United Kingdom waters is landed in some other European countries, principally Holland, Belgium and France. Foreign landings of marine dredged sand and gravel since 1985 are:
Tonnes 1985 2,495,000 1986 2,317,000 1987 2,564,000 1988 2,379,000 1989 2,590,000 1990 3,818,000 1991 4,614,000 Source: Crown Estate.