HL Deb 19 October 1976 vol 375 cc1124-5
Baroness HORNSBY-SMITH

My 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 whether they will take steps to ensure that when the day's work is completed on building sites the automatic flushes in the toilets are turned off and not left operating night and day, seven days a week, in view of the waste of water and the feelings of nearby residents exhorted to economise on water supplies.

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, the Drought Act 1976 enables the water authorities to seek powers to prohibit or restrict the use of water in the particular circumstances described by the noble Baroness, and many authorities have done so. it would be for the authorities concerned to enforce any such restriction.

Baroness HORNSBY-SMITH

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that when representations were made both to the water authority and to Westminster City Council, the reply received was that the site had diplomatic immunity? So incensed were the residents that they took the trouble to discover that in the existing embassy of a particular foreign Power they were scrupulously following all the regulations and doing all they could to exhort their staff to save water. Is it not monstrous that an English contractor with an English staff can use this as a cover for such a wanton waste of water?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, I am not aware of the details of the case referred to by the noble Baroness, Lady Hornsby-Smith. Where a drought order or drought direction has been enforced by the water authority one of the restrictions in force concerns the operation, in relation to any building or other premises, of any system that flushes automatically during any period when the premises are wholly or substantially unoccupied. If the noble Baroness would like to let me have details of the actual case to which she is referring, I will put it to my Department.

Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEY

My Lords, is this not a case where the contractor pleaded diplomatic immunity quite wrongly, to my mind? I am perfectly certain that if the diplomat had been personally approached this wastage would have been stopped. This contractor should be advised that he should not do that again.

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, I am inclined to agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Emmet of Amberley, but without all the details I should not like to commit myself or my Department.