§ Mr. J. Hollinsasked the Minister of Health whether he will cause inquiries to be made into the matter of sewage on Court Farm estate, Ashford, Middlesex, and the grave danger to public health; whether he has considered a petition from 250 residents of the estate; and have the Staines Urban District Council requested his Department to sanction the necessary expenditure?
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§ Mr. E. BrownI am aware that sanitary conditions on this estate are not satisfactory. I have received the petition to which my hon. Friend refers. The position is that the Staines Urban District Council have laid sewers and provided house connections at the boundaries of the properties and it is now the responsibility of the owners to connect up the house drains to the sewers. The council may by agreement carry out this work on behalf of the owners and recover the cost from them. I have informed the council that in the event of such an agreement I am prepared to sanction any necessary loan.