§ Mr. Quibellasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether he has now completed his inquiries into the administration and financial provisions of the Land Drainage Act, 1931; and if he can now state when we may expect the introduction of the promised amending legislation;
(2) whether he is aware that in the Nottingham area quite recently proceedings have been taken in 200 cases, and in some cases distress warrants issued, by the drainage authorities concerned, to recover drainage rates; and will he now see that immediate steps are taken to radically amend the financial provisions of this Act?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI have no information about the proceedings to which the hon. Member refers and, in any case, I have no power to intervene. My inquiries into the administration and financial provisions of the Land Drainage Act, 1931, have not yet been completed and I am not in a position to indicate when amending legislation is likely to be introduced.