§ (1) Where a river authority area adjoins any part of Scotland, and it appears to the river authority that there may be water in watercourses or underground strata in that part of Scotland, or in the river authority area, which could be transferred from that part of Scotland to the river authority area, or from the river authority area to that part of Scotland, as the 803 case may be, the river authority shall, in so far as they consider it appropriate to do so, consult with local water authorities, river purification authorities and other authorities in that part of Scotland with a view to securing the best use of that water in the public interest.
§ (2) In this section "local water authority" and "river purification authority" have the meanings assigned to them respectively by section 5(4) of the Water (Scotland) Act 1946 and section 17(1) of the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1951.—[Mr. Corfield.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ 7.0 p.m.
§ Mr. CorfieldI beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time.
This new Clause fulfils an undertaking given to my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane), and other hon. Members, in the Standing Committee, who pressed for a Clause to make it clear that the new river authorities would be able to consult with river undertakings or responsible authorities north of the Border. The Clause has been devised in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
§ Mr. BenceCan we be told by the Parliamentary Secretary, as there is no representative of the Scottish Office here, whether he has had consultation with the Secretary of State for Scotland and whether the Secretary of State for Scotland agrees with him in putting in this new Clause?
§ Mr. CorfieldI have just said that it has been done in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. I can give that assurance.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.