Part of Crossrail Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:30 pm on 27 November 2007.
Before we move on, I want some clarification from the Minister. The clause disapplies the provisions of the Water Resources Act 1991, which prohibits any form of water abstraction if it has injurious effects on another person. I understand that water abstraction might be a necessary part of the works performed to build Crossrail, but there are some serious implications that I want to consider with the Minister. Have the deposited plans identified any scenarios in which water will need to be abstracted in a way that might cause loss or damage? As I understand it, the clause is one of the few that has no precedent in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996. The Minister wants extra new powers that have no precedent. I am sure that they will be necessary because of the uniqueness of the Crossrail project, but will he tell us why the Secretary of State will need those plans and where on the identified route they are likely to apply?