§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if it is intended to bring control of water under one authority instead of several Ministries as at present; if he is aware of the high cost of supplying water to rural areas as instanced by the case of a Newark constituent, of whom he has received details, where the cost of connection to an existing main is estimated at £5,800, and that such capital costs are likely to delay the supply to farms and to restrict the building of new houses in country areas; what proposals he has for the future of water undertakings; and if he will make a statement on future water policy.
§ Mr. CrossmanAs regards Ministerial responsibility for water, I must ask my hon. Friend to await the detailed statement promised by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 26th November. The cost of connecting properties in rural areas to water mains varies widely. About 96 per cent. of such properties are connected already. Many of the remainder are isolated and the cost of connecting them is inevitably high. I have no statement to make at present on the future of water undertakings or on water policy.