HC Deb 07 August 1947 vol 441 cc1620-2
15. Mr. Berry

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the statement issued by the British Waterworks Association, a copy of which has been sent to him, indicating the effect of the present shortage of essential materials on the maintenance and extension of supplies to water; and whether he will make a statement with regard to the matters to which reference is made.

Mr. Bevan

Yes, Sir. In view of present shortages it is impossible to satisfy the full demands of many important services, including water supply. There has been some recent improvement, and I do not anticipate any immediate difficulty in meeting reasonable requirements for materials essential for maintenance, or for new works of water supply that are urgently necessary for housing, industry, or on public health grounds. There can, however, be no widespread extensions until the supply position improves.

Mr. Berry

Will my right hon. Friend do his best to exorcise the spirit which was about in certain Government Departments during the war, that water would go on no matter what happened, and will he see that water gets a share corresponding fairly to gas and electricity?

Mr. Bevan

I am doing my very utmost to accomplish this but my hon. Friend knows that there are definite physical limitations on what we can do.

Mr. Mitchison

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the very acute shortage of water in Northamptonshire and the effect that it is having on the housing programme there? Is he satisfied that that programme will not be held up?

Mr. Bevan

I am not satisfied that any particular scheme will not be held up. All I can ensure is that I get a fair share of available steel for rural water supplies. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said yesterday, rural housing will receive, and has received, very special consideration.

Sir Ralph Glyn

Is the Minister aware that in various dumps of American material under both the Ministry of Supply and the Air Ministry there are quantities of water pipes awaiting disposal? Could they not be put at the disposal of local authorities?

Mr. Bevan

I would like to hear about them. If the hon. Member has any in mind, I would be very glad to investigate the facts.

31. Mr. E. P. Smith

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that the present methods by which water is supplied to the fishing village of Dungeness, although admittedly temporary, are in fact sufficiently sanitary to satisfy his Department.

Mr. Bevan

I am not satisfied with any methods other than the best, but there are practical difficulties here, with which the authorities concerned are coping as well as they can and I am keeping in touch with them about the matter.

Mr. Smith

Does the right hon. Gentleman recollect that, at my request, he very kindly undertook the cleaning out of the open troughs in which this water has been placed? Can he say when he last cleaned them out, and what is their condition today?

Mr. Bevan

If the hon. Member will put the Question down, I will find out when I last exerted myself.

32. Mr. E. P. Smith

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to see that the Littlestone Water Company repair the damage caused by War Office action to the wells in the fishing village of Dungeness and provide pure mains water to the inhabitants.

Mr. Bevan

The company have no responsibility for the repair of damage to private wells. I understand that with financial assistance from the War Office they have laid mains to serve the properties affected.

Mr. Smith

Can the right hon. Gentleman undertake that he will exert all the pressure he can to protect his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War from the masterly inactivity of the Littlestone Water Company?

Mr. Bevan

There appears to be a private war on between the War Office and a private water company. With my usual intrepidity, I will intervene and see what can be done.