§ 30. Mr. du Cannasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT an up-to-date list of contributions which Her Majesty's Government have made to local relief funds for the alleviation of distress resulting from flood disasters in 1960; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (Mr. Henry Brooke)I will, as requested, circulate the list in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Exchequer payments on account amounting to over £690,000 have been made to thirty-one local flood relief funds. Total voluntary contributions to all local flood funds exceed £210,000.
Of the £1,500,000 voted in 1960–61, £652,442 18s. 8d. was issued as grant-in-aid up to 31st March. The balance was surrendered.
Exchequer payments continue to be made as required. The money will be accounted for on the main Vote of my Department, where it will be shown as grant-in-aid. Parliament will be asked to sanction this expenditure by means of a supplementary Estimate for 1961–62 to be presented in due course. Pending the voting of supply, issues are being made from money advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.
§ Mr. du CannI thank my right hon. Friend for that very full Answer, but is he absolutely convinced that all claims by private persons are being, or will be, met happily and satisfactorily? Can he say what the total liability on the Government in this respect will be?
§ Mr. BrookeI cannot yet judge what the total liability will be. I have every reason to believe that the flood relief funds are dealing absolutely fairly with all the claims made, but until the claims 213 have all been assessed and settled, no one could put a total to them.
§ Following is the list of net Exchequer advances to local flood funds:
| — | £ | s. | d. |
| Bath Flood Relief Fund | 60,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Bathavon Flood Relief Fund | 2,150 | 0 | 0 |
| Beaminster R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 3,650 | 0 | 0 |
| Bridgwater R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 1,725 | 5 | 10 |
| Bridport B. and R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 2,300 | 0 | 0 |
| Brotherton (Osgoldcross R.D.) Flood Relief Fund | 47 | 0 | 0 |
| Calne Flood Relief Fund | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Cottam (East Retford R.D.) Flood Relief Fund | 15,778 | 7 | 10 |
| Denby Parish Flood Relief Fund | 711 | 14 | 0 |
| Devon and Exeter Flood Relief Fund | 140,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Dulverton R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 3,750 | 0 | 0 |
| Eastleigh Flood Relief Fund | 350 | 0 | 0 |
| Frome U.D. Flood Relief Fund | 144 | 2 | 0 |
| Heanor U.D. Flood Relief Fund | 895 | 11 | 10 |
| Hereford City and County Flood Relief Fund | 28,200 | 0 | 0 |
| Horncastle Flood Relief Fund | 35,600 | 0 | 0 |
| Keynsham Flood Relief Fund | 1,020 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewes Flood Relief Fund | 10,700 | 0 | 0 |
| Maidstone Flood Relief Fund | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| Isle of Wight Flood Relief Fund | 10,618 | 0 | 0 |
| Norton-Radstock U.D. Flood Relief Fund | 2,250 | 0 | 0 |
| Repton R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 1,400 | 0 | 0 |
| Romsey B. Flood Relief Fund | 188 | 0 | 0 |
| S.E. Derbyshire Flood Relief Fund | 6,072 | 16 | 8 |
| Shrewsbury Flood Relief Fund | 6,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Taunton B. and R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 5,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Wales and Monmouthshire Flood Relief Fund | 335,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Warmley R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 1,400 | 0 | 0 |
| Wenlock B. Flood Relief Fund | 400 | 0 | 0 |
| Williton R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 16,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Wincanton R.D. Flood Relief Fund | 114 | 14 | 3 |
| £692,065 | 12 | 5 |