§ Mr. Butterfillasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the operation of section 39(1)(b) of the Public Health Act 1936, whereby householders are liable for structural damage to their drainage connections under the public highways.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneI am aware that householders' responsibility for the maintenance of their drains sometimes causes difficulty. The problems are being examined in a review of water and sewerage law which the Department is carrying out and which we expect to be completed by the end of the year.
§ Mr. Butterfillasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assumptions he makes in setting the level of rate support grant about the extent to which local authorities are unable to recover the cost of drainage repairs works from householders who are not insured against or who are otherwise unable to meet the liability imposed upon them by section 39 (1)(b) of the Public Health Act 1936.
§ Mr. WaldegraveRate support grant is paid in support of local authority expenditure generally and cannot be attributed to individual services. The considerations taken into account in settling the level of this year's rate support grant are set out in The Rate Suppport Grant Report (England) 1985–86.