§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a regional breakdown of resources expended on shoreline management and coastal defence work in England in each of the last five years. [24812]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department provides grant aid in response to proposals from the Environment Agency and local authorities for capital sea defence and coast protection works, and studies leading to the preparation of shoreline management plans, provided they meet technical, economic and environmental criteria. The breakdown of the amount of grant expended on such works in each of the last five financial years, by reference to regions of the Environment Agency, is in the table.300W
£ million 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 North East 0.5 2.7 0.8 6.1 6.1 North West 1.2 2.1 2.2 0.8 7.1 Anglia 10.2 11.5 16.6 21.0 22.9 Southern 11.1 9.9 15.8 20.2 22.9 South West 4.8 3.8 5.4 6.3 3.7 Total 27.8 30.0 40.8 54.4 62.7
§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the current work on compiling shoreline management plans will be completed for England; and how this work will relate to the disbursement of funds for shoreline management and coastal defence works. [24813]
§ Mr. MorleyThis Department has encouraged coastal defence groups to develop shoreline management plans to cover the whole coastline of England. The jointly agreed target is for plans to be completed by the end of 1998. Where shoreline management plans are in place it is expected that proposed works will be consistent with them. The disbursement of Ministry funding for flood and coastal defence works, and related studies, is made on the basis of the priority score arrangements, which take account of Ministerial priority, urgency and benefit cost ratio.