HC Deb 15 March 1948 vol 448 cc1698-9
62. Mrs. Leah Manning

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered the request from the Essex County Council that work should be put in hand at once by the Lee Conservancy Board, such as deepening and dredging the Nazeing brook and Nazeing drain in order to prevent flooding; and what steps he is taking in the matter.

Mr. T. Williams

The Lee Conservancy Catchment Board are in negotiation with the Essex County Council about county council works necessary to prevent flooding at Nazeing. I understand that the two parties will be meeting again shortly, and they should, I think, be able to reach a settlement without my intervention.

Mrs. Manning

Is my right hon. Friend aware that people living in this area have had an extremely anxious time during the whole winter dreading a recurrence of last year's disastrous floods? Will he give an assurance that he will intervene if he feels that this work is going too slowly?

Mr. Williams

I would not hesitate to contact both the County Council and the Lee Conservancy Catchment Board if I felt that they were neglecting what is their obvious duty.