§ 2.38 p.m.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many gallons of water were represented by the rainfall in Scotland and England and Wales in 1957, and for how many gallons were national and municipal storage facilities available.]
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, in 1957 the rainfall in Scotland was estimated to be 23.3 million million gallons, and for England it was estimated to be 441 29.8 million million gallons. I trust that the noble Viscount will give a little latitude in those figures either way. Public water undertakers have storage facilities for an estimated 76,000 million gallons and 222,000 million gallons respectively. Those figures take no account of water stored in natural lakes, underground strata and canals or in the storage provided by hydro-electric works, industry or private agencies.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Earl for his comprehensive Answer; it will take a little study to arrive at the magnitude of its depths. May I, with the permission of the House, congratulate the Sub-Committee on the Growing Demand for Water and the Sub-Committee on Information on Water Resources on the excellent work they have carried out and on their admirable Reports? May I ask the noble Earl whether he is aware, as no doubt he is, that the Report of the first Sub-Committee says, at paragraph 34:
An important factor in the rate at which capital works can be carried out is governmental policy in the matter of capital investment. The effect of the control of expenditure on an essential service such as water has been comparatively mild but some schemes have been postponed or scaled down on grounds of economy and such schemes can be expected to swell the rate of expenditure when restraints are liftedIs the noble Earl aware that, although schemes are planned up to 1965, the future seems to be somewhat in doubt? One of the conditions necessary is that capital investment is permitted on the requisite scale. Will the noble Earl convey to his colleagues that if there is any necessity for further capital investment, then that should be permitted: that, far from stepping-down capital investment, permission will be given to carry it on?
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, I must thank the noble Viscount for his compliment, and I will certainly pass it on to my right honourable friend and the Sub-Committees concerned. I am quite certain that my right honourable friend is well aware of the position as it will be after 1965 and is making plans towards meeting it.