§ 47. Mr. Osborneasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that land around the Beck at Little Carlton, Lincolnshire, is again flooded; and if he will take steps to have the Beck cleared immediately in view of the promise to do this over two years ago.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThe answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." As regards the second part, Little Carlton is not within a drainage district and works on the beck can only be carried out with the voluntary agreement of the frontagers. The Lindsey County Council have prepared a scheme on behalf of frontagers for clearing 87 chains of the beck upstream of the Little Carlton Mill and have applied to my Department for grant-aid under the provisions of Section 15 of the Agriculture Act, 1937. The application has been approved and no doubt the council will put the work in hand shortly. I understand that, provided they can get the consent of other frontagers, the county council will later submit a supplementary scheme, with an application for grant-aid for a further portion of the beck.