21. Mr. WARD LAW-MILNEasked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects to be able to give the House an outline of his plans for the drainage of the Wye and Thames valleys, and of other works connected therewith?
§ The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Mr. J. H. Thomas)A drainage scheme for part of the Thames Valley has been submitted by the Thames Conservancy and the Surrey and Middlesex County Councils and has been approved. The Surrey County Council have also submitted a drainage scheme for the Wey Valley, and this has been approved, subject to certain engineering details. A grant towards 1086 the cost of both of these works has been approved by the Unemployment Grants Committee.
§ Mr. THOMASThe difficulty is that we have no power as to the day on which work will commence. All we can do is to press upon the local authorities, when a scheme has been sanctioned, to speed it up.
Mr. WARD LAW-MILNEAre there any further difficulties, or is it merely a question of getting the work started?
§ Mr. THOMASI understand, so far as the grants are concerned, that that is satisfactorily settled. There are some technical engineering difficulties that are being negotiated.
§ Mr. C. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say what is the size of the grants he mentioned?
§ Mr. THOMASIf that were asked, but it is not in the question.