§ 5. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Secretary of State for Scotland upon how many occasions during the present winter the arable lands in the valley of the River Kelvin have been inundated by flooding; whether he can give any estimate of the annual loss and damage inflicted by these floods; and whether he is now in a position to state when the provisions of the Land Drainage (Scotland) Act, 1930, will be operated in This area?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir Godfrey Collins)Comprehensive data are not available to enable me to answer the first part of the question, but no instances of damage by flooding to land which is 202 normally cultivated in the valley of the River Kelvin have been reported to me during the present winter. I regret that I am unable to give any estimate of the nature suggested in the second part. As regards the last part, I am not yet in a position to make a statement, but I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that the matter is receiving active consideration at the present time, and that I shall be happy to let him know the earliest date when I can add to my previous answer on this subject, given on the 18th February.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONCan the right hon. Gentleman explain why it is that his predecessor in office, the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Pollok (Sir J. Gilmour), was in a position 10 years ago to give comprehensive data on this question, and what is wrong now that we cannot have the figures?
§ Sir G. COLLINSThe right hon. Gentleman asked me a specific question as to whether I have any information as to the conditions during the present winter. If he has any information in his possession, I shall be very happy to receive it.