Miss Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the feeling of injustice in some rural districts because of unfairness in the incidence of the drainage rate; and whether he will introduce legislation to enable rural councils to spread the rate as in urban areas.
§ Sir T. DugdaleLand is included in drainage districts because it derives benefit or avoids danger as a result of drainage works, and I would not accept that it is unfair that owners and occupiers of property within those districts should meet the cost of these works by paying drainage rates.
As for the second part of the Question, the need for amending legislation on the 105W lines suggested, has been considered by the Land Drainage Legislation Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee. In paragraph 94 of their Report they have recommended to the effect that, in built-up areas of rural districts as well as in towns, it should be open to the local authority to meet sums due as drainage rates either out of a special rate or out of the general rate. This recommendation is under consideration along with numerous other recommendations in the Report.