§ 11.22 a.m.
§ LORD ROWLEYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have with regard to the supply of water from the mainland of China to Hong Kong.]
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the Agreement of April, 1964, with the Chinese authorities provides for the supply of 15,000 million gallons of wafer annually from October 1 to June 30. This contractual obligation has been met for the period ending June 30, 1967, plus an agreed additional 1,800 million gallons. A request for a further additional amount of 2,000 million gallons for July and for August has not been met. The requirement for this additional amount is created by this year's unusually low rainfall. Given normal rainfall during the remainder of the wet season, it is anticipated that the present ration of water can be maintained, even if supplies from the mainland are not resumed next October under the 1964 contract.
§ LORD ROWLEYMy Lords, could my noble friend indicate whether adequate reserve storage is available and whether plans exist for the supply of alternative sources of water in the event of an emergency?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the possibility of obtaining additional supplies from other sources is being considered, because if the rains fail this year a very serious situation can arise. On the question of the storage of water, on the completion of the Plover Cove scheme next year Hong Kong's existing water storage capacity, which at present is approximately 16,000 million gallons, will be increased to approximately 46,000 million gallons, but they will still require assistance in conditions of normal rainfall to maintain the 24-hour supply throughout the year. However, it will be possible, when this storage capacity is available, to maintain a limited daily supply without water from China, even in periods of drought.
§ LORD RHODESMy Lords, is it not a fact that there is a large amount of 1352 water available on the mainland, that the water men in Hong Kong and in Canton are in daily communication and that the Canton water men say that they cannot turn the water on without permission from Peking? May I therefore make the suggestion that, even if it needs a special emissary to go to Peking, going to Peking might at least give a lead as to Chinese future policy towards Hong Kong itself?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I am greatly obliged to my noble friend. He knows a good deal about local conditions in and around Hong Kong. I can tell him that we and the Hong Kong authorities are considering the possibility of an approach to Peking.
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, may I take it from the noble Lord's reply to the supplementary of the noble Lord, Lord Rowley, that firm contingency plans already exist for bringing adequate supplies of water into Hong Kong by sea?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, it would depend of course on what the noble Earl means by "adequate". As to the "firm contingency plans", the availability of tankers comes into this question, and I cannot give a guarantee of that.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, is it not a fact that in the last few days the rains have commenced in Hong Kong and that that has helped the immediate situation? Is it not also a fact that when the Plover Cove project comes into operation most of the anxiety about water in Hong Kong will be overcome?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the answer to both parts of the noble Lord's supplementary question is, Yes. I may add that in 1963–64, when a drought was experienced, the present level of rationing of water was endured for 12 months, so that there is a period within which contingency planning can take place.
§ LORD CACCIAMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord about the possibility of a desalinisation plant? I realise that the present supplies depend partly on circumstances wholly outside our control—on China, on the one hand, and on the rains, on the other.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I rather expected a question of that kind from the noble Lord, Lord Ogmore, who has shown a great interest in this subject. I cannot 1353 give the noble Lord, Lord Caccia, any information about any project at present in mind, but certainly this is one possibility.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that my reluctance to ask a question of this kind about Hong Kong is due to my interest in a desalinisation plant for Malta, whose need is more urgent than that of Hong Kong?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I have in mind the noble Lord's interest in Malta. That is why I mentioned the matter.