Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
Her Majesty's Government how many sea defence areas have been established during the last 10 years in North-West England; and where each such area is located.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The following schemes, resulting in improved protection from flooding and/or erosion for over 20,000 properties, have been, or are currently being, undertaken since 2007 in the North West of England:
Item | Defences | Location | Date |
1 | Morecambe coast protection scheme phases five and six | Lancashire | 2007 |
2 | Crane Wharf tidal river defences | Chester | 2007 |
3 | Thornton-Cleveleys phases two and three coast protection scheme | Wyre | 2008 |
4 | Hesketh Outmarsh West | Lancashire | 2008 |
5 | Lower Lancaster tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme phases one and two | Lancaster | 2009 |
6 | Stanah) sea defence improvements | Poulton-le-Fylde, Wyre | 2009 |
7 | West Kirby coast protection scheme | Wirral | 2009 |
8 | Cleveleys sea defence improvement works phase four | Wyre | 2010 |
9 | River Wyre embankment stabilisation works | Fleetwood, Wyre | 2010 |
10 | Cleveleys groyne works | Wyre | 2010 |
11 | Blackpool Central Area Scheme | Blackpool | 2011 |
12 | Cleveleys beach recharge works | Wyre | 2011 |
13 | Dubb Mill Point highway coast protection works | Allonby, Cumbria | 2011 |
14 | Eskmeals highway coast protection works | Cumbria | 2012 |
15 | Hightown dune restoration works | Sefton | 2012 |
16 | Teal Bay shingle management (groyne) works | Morecambe Lancashire | 2013 |
17 | River Mersey Warrington tidal flood risk management scheme phase 1 | Cheshire | 2013 |
18 | Sunderland Point coast protection works | Lancashire | 2013 |
19 | Whitehaven Harbour emergency works | Cumbria | 2014 |
20 | West Shore Park coast protection scheme | Barrow | 2014 |
21 | Knott End sea defence replacement | Wyre | 2014 |
22 | Starr Hills sand dune management | Blackpool | 2016 |
23 | Anchorsholme coast protection scheme | Blackpool | 2016 |
24 | Hesketh Outmarsh East managed realignment | Lancashire | 2016 |
25 | Rossall coast protection and sea defence scheme phases one and two of three | Lancashire | 2018 |
26 | Morcambe sea defence improvement works | Lancashire | 2019 |
In addition, there are dune restoration programmes on the Fylde Peninsula and the Sefton coast.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much the Mersey Forest was extended during (1) 2014, (2) 2015 and (3) 2016 to date; and where new woodland was created as part of that forest.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Following a refresh of the Mersey Forest Plan in 2014, a boundary change increased the area of the Mersey Forest by 167 km2 from 1,203 km2 to 1,370 km2, an increase of 13.9%.
The Mersey Forest is supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Halton Borough Council, Knowsley Council, Liverpool City Council, Sefton Council, St Helens Council and Warrington Borough Council.
It has reported woodland creation within its boundaries as 17.10ha in the 2013-14 planting season and 25.86ha in the 2014-15 planting season. No figure has been published for the 2015-16 planting season.
The Forest’s web site can be viewed here: www.merseyforest.org.uk/.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many canals were fully self-operating during (1) 2014, (2) 2015, and (3) 2016 to date.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government does not hold this information. However, the Inland Waterways Association has compiled a directory of navigable waterways in Great Britain which can be accessed on its website.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which British woods are grown for timber use, if any.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Forestry is a devolved issue, so the answer relates to England only.
Many English woods are grown for timber amongst other uses, including oak and cherry. 2.6 million tonnes of English wood was delivered to primary wood processors and others in 2014. This is a 3% increase from the previous year. Active management of English woodlands at September 2015 was reported to be at 58%, up from 53% in 2013.
This is why this Government strongly supports the work of the Grown in Britain initiative. Its work in support of the woodland economy has helped to grow a £2bn a year forestry and wood processing industry, which employs over 40,000 people.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisation controls heath and heather areas in the north-west of England, and where those areas are.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
Management control of heathland and other habitats with heather in the North West rests with a range of public and private entities.
There are three types of priority habitat that are dominated by heather: (i) lowland heath; (ii) upland heathland; and (iii) mountain heath and willow scrub.
The distribution of these habitats across the North West is shown in the maps which have been produced by Natural England and have been placed in the Library of the House and sent to the Noble Lord.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sea defences have been built in north-west England during the last 10 years, and where.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
The following is a list of sea defences that have been built in the North West in the last 10 years by the Environment Agency or the local Coast Protection Authority. The list does not include any sea defences built by any third party/private asset owners.
Defences | Location | Date |
Maryport Harbour and Sea Wall works | Maryport, Cumbria | 2004 |
Morecambe Coast Protection Scheme (Ph 5 & 6) | Morecambe | 2007 |
Crane Wharf River Defences* | Chester | 2007 |
Thornton Cleveleys Coastal Defences (Ph 2 & 3) | Thornton and Cleveleys, Wyre | 2008 |
Hesketh Outmarsh West | Hesketh, West Lancs | 2008 |
Lower Lancaster Flood Alleviation Scheme (Ph 1 & 2)* | Lancaster | 2009 |
Stanah Sea Defences* | Poulton Le Fylde, Wyre | 2009 |
West Kirby Coast Protection Works | West Kirby | 2009 |
Cleveleys Coast Defence Improvement Works (Ph4b) | Cleveleys, Wyre | 2010 |
River Wyre Embankment Stabilisation Works* | Fleetwood, Wyre | 2010 |
Groyne works, Cleveleys | Cleveleys, Wyre | 2010 |
Blackpool Central Area Coast Protection Scheme | Blackpool | 2011 |
Cleveleys Beach Recharge Works | Cleveleys, Wyre | 2011 |
Dubb Mill Point Highway Coast Protection Works | Allonby, Cumbria | 2011 |
Eskmeals Highway Coast Protection Works | Eskmeals, Cumbria | 2012 |
Hightown Dune Restoration Works | Hightown, Sefton | 2012 |
Teal Bay Shingle Migration Works | Hest Bank, Lancaster | 2013 |
River Mersey Warrington Flood Risk Management Scheme (Ph1)* | Warrington | 2013 |
Sunderland Point Coast Protection Works | Sunderland, Lancaster | 2013 |
Whitehaven Harbour Emergency Works | Whitehaven, Cumbria | 2014 |
West Shore Park Emergency Works | Walney Island, Barrow in Furness | 2014 |
Fylde Dune Restoration Works | Lytham St Annes, Fylde | Ongoing programme |
Sefton Dune Management Programme | Formby, Sefton | Ongoing programme |
*Tidal River Defences
There are sea defence capital works currently on site in the following locations -
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many inland waterways are open to the general public; and how access by ramblers to such waterways is facilitated.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
Canals and rivers are an important asset for tourism and recreation, which the Government aims to protect and promote. According to The Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA), in 2011 there were 873.8 million visits to waterways around Britain, 23.4 million of which were to visit a specific attraction. There were 293.2 million visits for leisure walking and 234.5 million visits for dog walking, making walking by far the most popular activity participated in.
The majority of Britain's waterways are managed by the Canal and River Trust (CRT) which is funded by Defra. One of the key objectives on which this funding depends is ensuring public access, including for recreation and tourism. The land managed by the CRT includes 3148km of towpaths, all of which are open to the public, and a number of monuments and historic sites including 5 UNESCO world heritage sites.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy towards inland waterways and their contribution to tourism.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
Canals and rivers are an important asset for tourism and recreation, which the Government aims to protect and promote. According to The Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA), in 2011 there were 873.8 million visits to waterways around Britain, 23.4 million of which were to visit a specific attraction. There were 293.2 million visits for leisure walking and 234.5 million visits for dog walking, making walking by far the most popular activity participated in.
The majority of Britain's waterways are managed by the Canal and River Trust (CRT) which is funded by Defra. One of the key objectives on which this funding depends is ensuring public access, including for recreation and tourism. The land managed by the CRT includes 3148km of towpaths, all of which are open to the public, and a number of monuments and historic sites including 5 UNESCO world heritage sites.