§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the effect of rising water tables on buildings managed by the Property Services Agency.
§ Sir George YoungThe Property Services Agency is aware of the problems entailed in the trend for water tables to rise, and has contributed towards the cost of a study into the situation in the London basin in the first instance (to be extended to other cities as necessary), which is being carried out by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association. There has been no effect on buildings maintained by PSA so far, such few instances as have occurred of flooded basements being due to local conditions rather than the general rise in water tables. The situation is being carefully monitored, and provided for in new deep construction work, such as the British Library extension.