§ MR. LOUIS SINCLAIR (Essex, Romford)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has issued a Provisional Order under the provisions of Section 152 of The Metropolis Management Act, 1855, giving 181 to the London County Council powers to compulsorily acquire lands for the treatment of sewage in connection with their northern outfall system at Barking; and, if so, whether he will suspend such Order until such time as the local authority within whose district such lands are situated shall have been heard in accordance with the request contained in their letter of 7th March, 1905; whether, seeing that the land available for such purpose in the immediate neighbourhood is limited in area, and surrounded by densely-populated districts, the requirements of the Local Government Board as to the area of bacteria beds for the treatment of sewage on the lines proposed will be complied with.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) No, Sir. What is required of me by the Metropolis Management Act is, not to make a Provisional Order, but merely to give or withhold my consent in writing to the compulsory acquisition of land by the London County Council. I have not yet given this consent, and I will not give it without full and careful consideration of the objections urged by the Barking Urban District Council.