§ Major HAMILTONasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the floods in Sale, Cheshire, which are a danger to life and property; and what action he has taken to endeavour to prevent a recurrence of this constant flooding?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI have been asked to reply to this question. The Ministry has long been aware of the floods referred to and of the possibility of further breaches occurring in the banks of the326W river at Sale. I regret, however, that the Ministry has found it impossible to take any effective action under the powers conferred by the Land Drainage Acts. At the Ministry's suggestion, however, the Cheshire Agricultural Committee has recently submitted a scheme for the repair of the banks as a drainage scheme for the relief of unemployment, at a cost of £6,211. The scheme has been approved in principle, subject to undertakings being given by the owners and others interested to repay one-third of the estimated cost. This is an essential condition laid down by His Majesty's Government in connection with these unemployment schemes, and the undertakings are now being awaited. In the meantime, the engineering details are under discussion.