38. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Health what steps he is now taking to speed up the capital works programme for water in view of the dry Winter and lack of rain throughout the Spring; and whether he can give an assurance that adequate supplies of water will be made available throughout the country during 1949 for domestic, industrial and agricultural use.
§ Mr. BevanAll feasible steps are taken to ensure that schemes under construction are completed as speedily as possible. There cannot obviously be a guarantee of adequate supplies, but I will do my best to ensure that supplies are maintained.
Mr. De la BèreDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that I am charging him that he is deliberately holding up schemes for water supplies in rural areas in the hope that something will come along later? This is a very serious matter.
§ Mr. BevanIf the hon. Member will put a Question on the Order Paper I will give him a statement of what schemes for water supplies have, in fact, been carried out in the course of the last three and a half years, so that he may see the extraordinary progress that has already been made.
§ Major Legge-BourkeHow many schemes have been held up owing to the export of water pipes?