HC Deb 05 March 1969 vol 779 c114W
Sir W. Robson Brown

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what system of supervision exists in his Department to ensure that statutory river authorities perform the mandatory requirements under the Water Resources Act, 1963, and earlier land drainage legislation.

Mr. John Mackie

Most of the land drainage functions of river authorities are discretionary, not mandatory. While my Department naturally takes a close interest in the land drainage activities of river authorities, they are responsible and autonomous bodies and not subject to systematic supervision.