HC Deb 03 July 1961 vol 643 cc982-3
9. Commander Pursey

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department and the Hull and East Yorkshire River Board will take to ensure that all wharves on the River Hull are brought up to, and maintained at, the statutory height; and whether he will ask the river board to issue a circular letter to all wharf owners stating the requirements for their wharves to prevent flooding from both overtopping and seepage.

Mr. Vane

The Hull Corporation has powers under its Act of 1925 to require owners to raise their wharves to the level specified in the Act, and I understand that at its meeting later this month it will be considering the service of notices. While the river board has general powers to prevent flooding, these do not include any specific power to require wharves to be built up to any given height.

Commander Pursey

Is the Joint Parliamentary Secretary aware that some of these deficient wharves have been neglected for twenty or more years? Is it not high time that the river board took the problem of the River Hull seriously and impressed on all wharf owners that the flooding has to be stopped now and for all time?

Mr. Vane

There is no evidence that the river board does not take this problem seriously, any more than the Hull City Corporation, which came to this House to get special legislation some years ago. As I have said, it is taking the consequences of the recent flooding very seriously and is carrying out a detailed survey. It is having a meeting some time later this month, and I do not think I can say any more on the present occasion.

10. Commander Pursey

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the causes of the flooding on the east side of the River Hull, between Scott Street Bridge and North Bridge, at the last equinoctial high water spring tide, the number of wharves in this section of the river which have been surveyed and reported to the Hull and East Yorkshire River Board for flood alleviation works, and the number of notices which are to be served on owners in this section requiring them to raise their wharves above flood level.

Mr. Vane

Flooding in this section of the River Hull was due to overtopping of two wharves. The survey of this length of the river has been completed and the corporation is being recommended to serve notices on eight wharf owners.

Commander Pursey

Can the hon. Gentleman tell me how much longer the river board is going to deal with the River Hull by these antiquated "Noah's Ark" methods of sandbags which rot away and wooden coping which is torn away by hawsers? When will the river board insist on permanent flood prevention work, with concrete walls or sheet steel piling, and no more nonsense about it?

Mr. Vane

I do not know about this new "Noah's Ark", but I do know that the improvement work carried out by this river board is generally subject to a grant from this Department. Whatever the method used, we satisfy ourselves that it is the best possible for the intended purpose before we pass it for grant. Noah's Ark did save the human race.

Commander Pursey

But nothing has been done.