§ 64. Mr. Garro Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Air whether in view of the fact that his Department have refused to pay a 75 per cent. grant to the Lossiemouth town council in respect of a water service pipe to the new aerodrome one mile from Lossiemouth, he will explain the reason for now opening negotiations with Elgin town council, despite the greatly increased distance amounting to several miles of the source of water from the aerodrome and the larger cost of laying the pipe, and that the burgh of Elgin abstained from using water from the proposed source even in years when that authority experienced shortage of supplies?
§ Sir K. WoodMy Department is prepared to pay the full cost of laying a water service pipe one to two miles long from the existing main to the Royal Air Force station at Lossiemouth. The Lossiemouth town council however desire that 417 my department should accept responsibility for the whole or nearly the whole cost of replacing the existing main from Blackhills to Lossiemouth, a distance of about nine miles. In these circumstances the possibility of other arrangements is being investigated, one of which is to obtain the water from the supply under the control of the Elgin town council, which is only five miles from the aerodrome, and which could, if necessary, be chlorinated.
§ Mr. Garro JonesCan the Minister assure the House that the Air Ministry will not, from motives of pique, decline to enter into arrangements with the Lossiemouth town council, which would be less expensive than the proposed new arrangement with the Elgin town council?
§ Sir K. WoodI am not aware of any such feeling.