71 and 72. Mr. Brian Harrisonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will give guidance to river authorities on the most practicable way of requiring and enforcing conditions relating to assessment of abstracted water, otherwise than by metering, where it is used for farming or horticultural purposes;
(2) as under licences of right granted under the Water Resources Act 1963 55W farmers must install meters on movable equipment, in view of the capital expense involved and of the doubtful reliability of meters attached to portable equipment, whether he will initiate further research into the problem.
§ Mr. MacCollThe Water Resources Board has already given guidance to river authorities about measurement and assessment, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Board's memorandum. My right hon. Friend is advised that metering, which is in many cases the appropriate method of measurement, need present no special difficulty, even on portable equipment. He is satisfied that adequate meters are available at reasonable cost.