§ Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken by the Department of Health for Scotland to ensure that Lairg will 1906W have an adequate supply of water this summer; whether he is aware that the county council had a scheme to take 1,000,000 gallons of water from Loch Craggie for which they were prepared to pay, but the proprietors have refused to sell; whether the Department of Health has granted or refused the council a compulsory order; and on what grounds?
§ Sir G. COLLINSWe are awaiting a report by the county sanitary inspector on the result of certain repairs and improvements to the existing water supply system at Lairg which the county council decided to carry out. When the report is received, consideration will be given to the question how any augmentation which may prove necessary can best be secured. With regard to the second part of the question, the proprietors are not at present prepared to allow water to be taken from Loch Craggie, as they had offered another source of supply to the county council. With regard to the third and fourth parts, the Department refused a compulsory order as they were not satisfied that the deficiency of water supply at Lairg in 1934 was due to an exceptional shortage of rain.