§ Mr. DENNISONasked the Minister of Transport if he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation making provision, in respect of trenches opened up on pavements by others than local authorities, that the final reinstatement of the trenches shall be executed by the local authority, the cost of which to be borne by the person or persons who opened the trenches?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe obligations and liabilities of statutory undertakings are in my opinion sufficiently defined by statutes now in force. Voluntary arrangements for the final reinstatement to foe carried out by the local authority are in fact in operation in many parts of the country, and I do not think that any legislation on the subject is called for.