§ 77. Mr. Sydney Irvingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking to secure the installation of main sewers in areas not yet provided with modern sanitation.
§ Sir K. JosephThese areas are almost wholly rural localities where main drainage has usually had to await the provision of piped water supplies. Accordingly, my right hon. Friend's policy has been and still is to assist local authorities in providing both those services. Since 1951 water supply schemes costing £55 million and sewerage schemes costing £66 million have been approved and Exchequer grants under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts, 1944–55, totalling £38 million either made or promised.
§ 78. Mr. Sydney Irvingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what information he has as to the number of dwellings in England and Wales using cesspit sanitation and earth bucket facilities.
§ Sir K. JosephI regret that no precise information is available. In 1951 about 8 per cent. of households did not have the use of a water closet and about 13 per cent. had to share. Since then over l¾ million dwellings have been built and a slum clearance programme is being vigorously pursued, with the result that the number of dwellings without main drainage is steadily being reduced.