HC Deb 19 May 1949 vol 465 cc610-1
46. Mr. Douglas Marshall

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has any statement to make on the setting up of the River Boards

Mr. T. Williams

Yes, Sir. Considerable progress has been made with the definition of river board areas which is the first stage required by the River Boards Act, 1948. The River Board Areas Consultative Committee has nearly completed its examination of suitable boundaries, in consultation with all the catchment boards, fishery boards and councils of counties and county boroughs concerned, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Committee for the time and thought it has devoted to this important task. We have received a number of recommendations from the Committee and I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing 17 areas which will form the basis of draft orders. One draft order has been deposited and others will follow as soon as the necessary detailed surveys of boundaries have been made and the draft statutory maps prepared. The statutory procedure for defining areas, and thereafter for establishing boards and transferring functions to them, will take time, but these processes will be carried through as quickly as the circumstances of each area allow.

Mr. Marshall

I gather that the Minister is circulating the names of the areas in the OFFICIAL REPORT. May I take the opportunity of asking whether among the areas there is the Cornish River Board?

Mr. Williams

Yes, Cornwall is referred to in a very long list.

Following is the statement:

Proposed River Board Area and Comments

  1. (1) Severn: The draft order was placed on deposit in March and objections made are now under consideration.
  2. (2) Northumberland: Northumberland Rivers Catchment Area and the watershed of the River Tyne.
    3. 611
  3. (3) Wear and Tees.
  4. (4) Yorkshire Ouse: Includes the watershed area of the Whitby Esk and adjoining coastal streams.
  5. (5) East Yorkshire: River Hull Catchment Area, the Market Weighton Drainage District and other adjoining areas fronting on the Humber and North Sea.
  6. (6) Trent.
  7. (7) Lincolnshire: Witham and Steeping River and the Ancholme Catchment Areas and the adjoining area in North East Lindsey, including the County Borough of Grimsby.
  8. (8) Kent Rivers and Rother: Kent Rivers and Rother and Jury's Cut Catchment Areas: a suggested slight extension in the neighbourhood of Hastings is still under consideration.
  9. (9) Hampshire: Hampshire Rivers Catchment Area, subject to a possible adjustment of the eastern boundary, together with Southampton and Portsmouth.
  10. (10) Isle of Wight.
  11. (11) Avon and Stour and South Dorset: Avon and Stour Catchment Area, together with Bournemouth and the watershed areas of the Frome and other rivers of South Dorset up to but not including the Lim.
  12. (12) Devonshire: Includes the Lim and the Axe to the South-east, the East and West Lyn to the North-east and the Avon and Erme to the South-west.
  13. (13) Cornwall: Includes the Tamar and its tributaries and also the Rivers Plym and Yealm in South West Devon.
  14. (14) Somerset: Somerset Rivers Catchment Area, with certain adjoining coastal areas in North Somerset.
  15. (15) Bristol Avon.
  16. (16) North West Wales: The rivers of Caernarvon (including the Conway), Anglesey and Merioneth, together with the watershed of the Dyfi and certain areas around Llandudno and Colwyn Bay.
  17. (17) Dee and Clwyd.