§ 3. Mr. NOEL BUXTONasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of statutory drainage authorities which have been brought into existence since the passing of the Drainage Act, 1918, and the number of drainage authorities established respectively before and after the passing of the Act which are regarded by the Ministry as having ceased to function?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)The number of drainage authorities constituted since the passing of the Land Drainage Act, 1918, is 54, of which four have ceased to act. Drainage authorities which were in existence before the passing of the Act of 1918 include not only Commissions of Sewers, Drainage Boards and bodies 975 created by special Acts of Parliament, but also a large and unknown number of small drainage authorities set up under Inclosure Awards of ancient origin, and I am not in a position to state how many have ceased to act.
§ Mr. PALINGArising out of the last part of that answer, would the right hon. Gentleman say whether in that portion of the Doncaster area recently reported on by the Royal Commission, the authorities who are responsible may be said to have ceased to function in respect of that area, and, if so, what steps he is taking to put the Royal Commission Report into operation?
§ Mr. GUINNESSWe are in communication with the various Departments concerned, and at the earliest possible opportunity I hope to announce the personnel of the Committee.