§ Sir W. Jenkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture if arrangements can be made under the land drainage schemes to make use of bulldozers to clear the rivers of Neath and Tawe, so as to remove the grave loss and danger of flooding and to reclaim a large area of valuable agricultural land in these two industrial valleys.
Mr. HudsonI am advised by the Mid-Glamorgan Rivers Catchment Board that the cost of a comprehensive drainage scheme for the River Neath valley would not be justified during the war by the benefits likely to result, whilst they do not consider that efficient drainage can be secured by piecemeal works. There is no Catchment Board for the River Tawe, but, whilst the information at my disposal indicates that conditions in this valley are broadly similar, I should of course be willing to consider any suitable minor works for the improvement of agricultural land which might be submitted to me for grant aid during the war by any of the county councils concerned. Any proposal to use bulldozers for such work would require careful consideration.