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Flood and Water Management Bill

I am calling not for a delay, but for a sense of urgency. The hon. Gentleman's Government have delayed bringing forward the guidance and the investigation that is needed. Some constituents, many of whom may be small employers in their own right, will owe their livings to these small drainage companies. They are saying clearly, not only to Conservative Members, I am sure, but to those in all parties represented in this House, that they are worried that they have not been consulted on this. I want an assurance from the Minister that they will be consulted and that there will be work for them in future. I want to know what pilot schemes have been in place and why there has not been an audit, where that is the case. I agree with the hon. Gentleman that we still do not know how many kilometres there are or where these private drains and sewers are. I am not calling for a delay—I am asking the Government to speed up and reach a conclusion so that we can meet their target date of transferring by 2011.