19. Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many parishes in England are without any piped water supply; how many are to have such a supply under schemes already submitted for approval; and how many such schemes have been submitted since 1951, how many approved, how many begun, and how many completed.
§ Mr. PowellThe figure cannot be given in terms of parishes. But the proportion of the rural population without piped water is about 11 per cent. Schemes submitted but not yet started should reduce this to about 7 per cent.
Just over 2,000 rural water supply schemes have been submitted since 1951; about 1,000 of them have been completed, about 450 are in progress, 190 have been approved but not started, and the rest are under consideration.
Mr. SlaterIs the hon. Member aware that in 1950 a similar Question was asked in the House of the then Minister, who stated that there were 1,992 schemes approved in 1950, out of which 1,740 had begun? How does that add up to the Answer which the Minister has given today?
§ Mr. PowellPerhaps the hon. Member would put down another Question on the detailed figures. I am aware that the 986 proportion of the rural population without a piped water supply has been halved in the last four years.