§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time.
§ Moved. That the Bill be read 3a.— (The Earl of Listowel.)
318§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, on the Second Reading of this Bill, some of us were a little disturbed about the question of the amount of mud that would be exposed around Bassenthwaite Lake when the level was drawn down. The Promoters at that time were not able to tell the House the number of days on which the water in Bassenthwaite Lake would, under the scheme promoted by the Bill, he drawn down to the maximum extent, but only the number of days on which it was drawn down at all. It was obvious that some of those would be minute depressions of only a few inches which would make no difference to the borders. Since then I have been able to obtain from the consulting engineers employed by the Promoters an estimate of the number of days on which one would get a material draw-down which would expose mud on the shores, and I think the House may be interested to know this.
During the ten years that the scheme is to be in operation, the water will be drawn down from its maximum level on about 120 days—that is, drawl down at all, by however little. It will be drawn down to its maximum extent, about two feet, for only two or three days in the ten years. It will be drawn down to a middle distance, about one foot below the proper high level on only about twenty days during the ten years. These strike me as being very favourable figures, about which the amenity interests should not be bothered at all. It might have been to the advantage of the House if we had had these figures earlier, but I am glad that we have them now.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am sure the House will be grateful to the noble Lord for this information.
§ On Question, Bill read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.