§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade for what reasons the environmental impact assessment on Sombrero Island was not carried out during the bird nesting season. [51256]
§ Mr. BattleBeal Aerospace is proposing to develop a rocket launch site on Sombrero island, which is part of the UK overseas territory of Anguilla. Beal Aerospace has contracted an environmental consultancy—ICF Kaiser—to perform an environmental impact assessment on the proposal. It is for Beal Aerospace to decide when and how the assessment should be conducted. The relevant authorities will then consider the adequacy of the assessment when it is submitted.
I understand that ICF Kaiser is aware that its initial ecological survey conducted earlier this year did not coincide with the nesting season of many of the birds on Sombrero, and is expected to visit the island again this month to carry out further studies when more birds will be nesting.