HC Deb 28 July 1930 vol 242 cc70-2
Dr. ADDISON

I beg to move, in page 2, line 33, at the end, to insert the words: and in particular where the natural direction of the drainage of any land has been artificially altered, an order under this subsection may be made specifying the catchment area, if any, to which the land in question is to belong. This Amendment is necessary because we find that in two or three cases works have been undertaken artificially to take the water from what would be one watershed into another, and it would be necessary, clearly, that the watershed area should be defined as belonging to a particular area.

Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGE

The words proposed to be inserted here deal only with the past. May I ask the Minister how he proposes to deal with the future? If a local authority wishes to bring water from another catchment area, what is going to happen? Secondly, suppose that one catchment area wishes to alter its boundaries. It is often very difficult to lay down where one catchment area begins and another ends. It is sometimes a question of merely a few inches, and it is extremely hard to define the actual level of the ground. The level is constantly sinking, for one thing, and drainage operations are constantly going on. I think that what is needed is some provision to deal with the future, in order that catchment area boards may be able to make arrangements for exchanges, whereby one may agree to take a little of another's land and to give to the other some of its land in return. My right hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Guinness) and others have an Amendment on the Paper which raises that point, and I very much hope that it will receive attention. Perhaps the Minister will say whether there is anything now in the Bill to allow one catchment board to make arrangements with a neighbouring catchment board, or, in case there is no catchment board, with a drainage board, as to the mutual management of their areas.

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. W. R. Smith)

I think that the point raised by the hon. and gallant Member for Louth (Lieut.-Colonel Heneage) will be found to be dealt with later on in the Bill, and possibly it might be considered there. The present Amendment deals with the case where water from one catchment area has been artificially turned into another catchment area, and, under the Amendment, power is taken to determine to which catchment area the land relating to it shall be attached. It does not touch the point raised by the hon. and gallant Member.

Brigadier-General CLIFTON BROWN

I should like to ask what will happen in the case of large waterworks and reservoirs, where a great deal of water from one catchment area may be directed into another catchment area. I do not see the object of this Amendment. Is the Minister going to interfere with these big reservoirs? This Amendment was not suggested in Committee, and I think it better that the matter should be left as it is.

Dr. ADDISON

The object of this Amendment is only to enable us to say what is the area of the catchment board's operations. It is simply to enable us to define that area.

Mr. C. WILLIAMS

This Amendment raises a very important question, and it is amazing that it was not put into the Bill before. I should like to have an assurance from the Minister that, in connection with these catchment areas, there will be no interference with the work of local authorities who may be engaged in the construction of reservoirs and so on, which are needed for the health of the people. If it is not in- tended needlessly to interfere with such matters, I, personally, should be satisfied to accept the Amendment, but as, apparently, it is a new Amendment which has been brought forward quite suddenly, I think that those of us who are interested in these matters should realise the difficulties with which local authorities have to contend in connection with this question of water supplies for their own localities. As I have said, if I could have an assurance that this proposal will not increase their difficulties, I should be inclined to look upon the Amendment rather more kindly.

Amendment agreed to.