asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to prevent more farm land from being flooded to make reservoirs for public water supply.

No, Sir. Other means of storing water will be investigated wherever they exist, but unavoidably some farm land will have to be taken for reservoirs. Wherever possible the less good farm land will be used in preference to the better.

Will the right hon. Gentleman endeavour, wherever possible, to adopt the large-scale and modern solution to this problem, rather than the old-fashioned solution which involves nibbling away at ever-increasing quantities of good agricultural land?

As the right hon. and learned Gentleman will appreciate, we are vigorously examining the possibilities of large-scale water supply. This is a long-term policy, but meanwhile, unavoidably, we shall have to depend upon some water being supplied from reservoirs.