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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what environmental assessment he has made of proposals for the removal of mineral deposits from the surface of the deep ocean bed. [26489] Mr. Raynsford: The Government's jurisdiction over the seabed extends only to the British share of the European Continental Shelf. Within this area the only mineral deposits being removed from the surface of the seabed are aggregates which are dredged from a number of off-shore locations around the UK. This dredging is licensed by the Crown Estate as "custodian" of the seabed. By agreement, the Crown Estate submits every application for a dredging licence to a "Government View Procedure" ("GVP") which is administered by DETR and which enables the environmental effects of the proposed dredging, particularly on coastal protection, nature conservation and fishing interests to be fully assessed. Principal consultees under the "GV" are MAFF, DNH, the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Coastal Protection Authorities. Every application for a "GVP" is accompanied by a full Environmental Impact Assessment prepared by the applicants. A dredging licence will be granted only by the Crown Estate if a favourable "GV" is issued by DETR. The current maximum dredging depth is about 60m. Developing technology could increase dredging depths to 80m but such deeper dredging is not thought to be commercially viable at the present time and is not undertaken.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

26489; 305 c631-2W

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Aggregates Crown Estate Licensing Environmental impact assessment Natural resources Minerals Dredging