§ Mr. Parkerasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to encourage local authorities to establish combined sewage and refuse disposal schemes designed, by composting organic and vegetable material, to provide a valuable, inoffensive and inexpensive fertiliser of great potential importance to British farming and horticulture?
Mr. HudsonIn view of the existing shortage of material and labour, and the uncertainty as to whether a compost of sewage sludge and household waste is the best form in which the sludge can be utilised on the land, I consider it would be undesirable to encourage local authorities to erect plant for the preparation of such composts during the war. I hope shortly to be able to issue a statement on the production and use of sewage sludge as composts, or otherwise.