§ 21. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is considering any scheme to deal with the annual flooding of the Thames Valley, in view of the fact that such scheme might, while finding work for the unemployed, also benefit the inhabitants?
Mr. THOMASI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 18th December to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Sir G. Penny) in the course of which I stated that limited schemes of drainage for the Wey Valley and the Thames between Wey-bridge and Teddington has been approved. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.
§ Sir A. KNOXMay I ask whether there is any possibility of some general scheme for the Thames Valley being taken into consideration, in view of the fact that this would really provide work for the unemployed and relieve inhabitants of an annual loss?
Mr. THOMASI indicated in a previous reply that in my judgment this was an urgent matter. I even invited the authorities concerned, but, as the hon. Member knows, there is a great conflict of interests on this question, and I am putting it no higher than this, that we are doing our best to straighten it up.
§ Mr. ANNESLEY SOMERVILLEIs it not the fact that a scheme costing £6,000,000 was laid before the authorities in the Thames Valley by the Thames Conservancy Board, and it was considered inadvisable to proceed with it; and that the scheme to which the right hon. Member referred, the Wey and Thames Rivers, is not part of that scheme. Further, may I ask whether he has been appealed to for assistance?
Mr. THOMASI have already stated that I gave approval to the latter scheme, and the statement of the hon. Member confirms my reply to the previous supplementary as to the difficulties involved.