§ Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial assistance his Department has given since mid-1976 to those local authorities seeking to make provision for the storage of water.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe public authorities which make provision for the storage of water, as part of their function of public water supply, are water authorities and statutory water companies. The main case in which grant has been paid to an English authority since 1976 in regard to the storage of water is that of the Kielder water scheme which is being constructed by the Northumbrian water authority. This grant is paid under section 7 of the Local Employment Act 1972 because most of the water will be used to support industrial expansion. About £4.3 millions has been paid to date in regard to the storage element of this scheme.