HC Deb 22 January 1993 vol 217 cc452-3W
Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which is the base forecast used in the preparation of the tables option I and option II on pages 19 to 20 respectively of his Department's report "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales-Revision of MPG6 Policy Issues Paper".

Mr. Baldry

Option 1 in the policy issues paper is derived from the views expressed about future demand by the regional aggregates working parties (RAWPs) in their regional commentaries which were published in 1992. The RAWPs took into account the long term projections of primary aggregates demand produced in 1991 by ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd. Option II reflects the Government view that between 6,500 million tonnes and 7,000 million tonnes of aggregates may be needed between 1992 and 2011 and was informed by the long term projections of demand for primary aggregates prepared by ECOTEC last year.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the statistical basis for the statement on page 20 of his Department's report "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales-Revision of MPG6 Policy Issues Paper" that option II envisages that land won resources in England and Wales identified in the regional commentaries are reduced by an overall level of 20 per cent. during the period of the guidelines.

Mr. Baldry

The option was prepared on the basis of a judgment about the level of supply from land won sources of primary aggregates that would be consistent with meeting the Government's objectives for a sustainable aggregates policy.