§ 29. Mr. Cooper-Keyasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to meet the urgent demands in certain rural areas for adequate water supplies.
§ Mr. BevanA large volume of work is already in progress to provide water supplies in rural areas. Schemes to a total value of £29,000,000, and serving some 4,300 separate parishes, have been approved in England and Wales since the end of the war. I recognise the urgency of this work, and shall continue to authorise new schemes to the full extent that available resources permit.
§ Mr. GranvilleIs it the right hon. Gentleman's intention to implement the reference to the supply of water to rural areas in the King's Speech? If so, when?
§ Mr. BevanAny question as to when legislation is to be introduced in the House of Commons should be addressed either to the Prime Minister or to the Leader of the House.
§ Colonel Stoddart-ScottHow does the Minister reconcile the figure of £29 million for schemes approved with the fact that he has spent only £45,000 in the last four and a half years?
§ Mr. SpeakerI just want to point out that the House cannot have it both ways. Either there can be lots of supplementaries, and very few main Questions answered; or there must be fewer supplementaries so that more main Questions may be answered. We have had a lot of supplementaries today—although I know that there have been points of order and also some rather contentious Questions.