§ Mr. COMYNS-CARRasked the Minister of Transport who are the engineers who are investigating the Severn barrage scheme on behalf of the Government; whether he is aware that this scheme was originally placed before the Water-power Resources Committee of the Board of Trade in December, 1917, by the late Mr. C. S. Meik, Mr. Addenbrooke, and Mr. Twinberrow; and whether he will arrange that the firm of C. S. Meik and Buchanan, who are in possession of all the material on which that scheme was based, shall be consulted before any decision is arrived at?
Mr. WEBBI have been asked to reply. No specific Severn barrage scheme is being investigated, but an informal and preliminary Committee, consisting of Sir John Snell, Chairman of he Electricity Commissioners, Professor A. H. Gibson, and Mr. Maurice F. G. Wilson, are advising the Board of Trade as to the manner in which the whole problem can be best and most expeditiously investigated. I am aware of the particular scheme to which the hon. Member refers, and no doubt that scheme, with others which have been put forward at various times, will be taken into consideration in the course of the detailed investigation.