asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the construction of a gabion sea wall at Spittal Point, Berwick-upon-Tweed; whether his Department will contribute to the cost of repairing the recent sea damage; what advice his Department has given to the local authority as to the nature of the repair and replacement work which should be carried out; and whether he is satisfied that the gabion system is capable of surviving the heavy seas at this point.

The Department has approved 85 per cent. grant for a reclamation scheme covering sites at Dock Road and Spittal Point, Berwick, costing £186,000. Of this, the gabion wall at Spittal Point was estimated to cost £45,000. The Department has also provisionally agreed to pay 85 per cent. towards the costs of repairs up to a maximum of £30,000, subject to a consultant's report.The Department advised Northumberland County Council, the authority reclaiming the sites, to engage a coastal protection consultant to report on the necessary remedial measures, and has agreed to pay 85 per cent. of his fees. The consultant's report on remedial measures to effect a satisfactory repair is awaited.