§ Sir T. DugdaleI beg to move, in page 12, line 17, to leave out "flooded with," and to insert "damaged by."
1008 I should like to explain this Amendment, because it is the basic reason why we had a second Financial Resolution. Land that was actually flooded from underneath instead of by surface water on top was excluded from the Bill under the original Financial Resolution. Since then the House has passed a second Financial Resolution to bring this kind of land within the provisions of the Bill.
It has been found that some land has been severely impregnated with salt by the flow of seawater up the land drains, although technically it was not flooded on the surface. The only visible sign of this lies in the wilting of crops above the ground. This has become evident since we started our discussion of the Bill. The difficulty has been accentuated by the abnormally dry spring, and the full effect may not become apparent until the roots of the plants reach down to the strata about six inches to 18 inches below the surface where the salt content may be the heaviest.
According to our present information about 16,000 acres of land are affected in this way, for the most part in Lincolnshire, but this figure may be increased as the damage shows itself. The Amendment proposes to bring under Clause 13 this type of land and I am certain that the Committee would wish that it should be included.
§ Mr. A. J. Champion (Derbyshire, South-East)We welcome this Amendment which, as the Minister has said, deals with an important point. We are glad that he has found it possible so to extend the wording of the Bill as to cover these parts of the land which were damaged but not actually flooded.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.