§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will publish figures to indicate the cost effectiveness of the drainage scheme on the River Blackwater;
(2) what percentage of the land improved by the River Blackwater drainage scheme will require further drainage by the landowners; and what is his estimate of the cost at 1982 prices.
§ Mr. Adam ButlerThe Blackwater scheme meets the minimum test discount rate of 5 per cent. for long-term 47W investments. It has been estimated that 28 per cent. of the benefiting area will require some form of further drainage to be carried out by the individual farmers. The cost of this, like all other additional "on-farm" costs, has been included in the cost benefit analysis of the total River Blackwater scheme. Land drainage will be phased as work on the scheme progresses up the catchment. The estimated cost of this further drainage in current value terms at 1982 prices is £272,000.