Clause 12.—(ESTABLISHMENT AND PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS OF WATER RESOURCES BOARD.) (Hansard, 18 July 1963)

§ Sir K. Joseph
I beg to move, in page 13, line 12, at the end to insert: (f) to bring to the notice of the river authority concerned any case where it appears to the Board that, for the purpose of securing the proper use of water resources in a river authority area, the quality of the water contained in an inland water in that area needs to be improved, and that the requisite improvement could be obtained through the exercise of powers conferred by the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Acts 1951 to 1961. We were urged to write into the Bill powers to make sure that the campaign against pollution was properly safeguarded and I hope that the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes) will think that what the Amendment does is satisfactory. It empowers the Water Resources Board to draw the attention of a river authority—though leaving the responsibility for action to the river authority—to a case where it thinks proper use of the inland water would be 818 helped by a different, stronger, or varied policy in the campaign against pollution. This is in response to undertakings made in Committee.

§ Mr. C. Hughes
I am grateful to the Minister. He knew how strongly we felt about this. We felt that the Water Resources Board should play a part in relation to the prevention of pollution and I think that this Amendment is a considerable contribution to strengthening the Water Resources Board and to acknowledging that there is a relationship between conservation and the prevention of pollution.

§ Sir K. Joseph
I beg to move, in page 13, line 30, at the end to insert: (5) In the performance of their functions under this section, it shall be the duty of the Board to keep themselves informed as to the requirements, in respect of the supply of water, of such classes of users of waiter as are likely to make major demands on the wader resources of river authority areas. This Amendment and that in line 31, go together, and fulfil an undertaking given to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn) that words would be written in to make sure that the Water Resources Board kept in close touch with the main users of water so as to know their needs and likely trends of demand.