§ Mr. BENNETTasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in connection with the grant of £1,000,000, to be spread over a period of five years, to carry out drainage schemes, he proposes, in the event 453W of the reclamation of land, to introduce the principle of some participation of the State in the profits thus realised?
Mr. GUINNESSI am not clear whether my hon. Friend is referring to reclamation of land from the sea by the process of enclosure or the recovery of derelict land by draining operations. I doubt whether, except in one or two isolated cases, any schemes coming within the former category will be submitted to the Ministry. It is intended that the Exchequer shall provide from one-third to one-half of the cost of approved schemes. These will be carried out by statutory drainage authorities, who will find the balance of the cost by levying rates on the lands liable to be rated. The works contemplated for assistance from this money are designed to confer benefits of national importance and could not be undertaken without this minimum proportion of State assistance.