Water Resources Act 1991

147 Grants for drainage works

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, the relevant Minister may make grants towards expenditure incurred by the Authority in—

(a) the improvement of existing drainage works; or

(b) the construction of new drainage works.

(2) Grants under subsection (1) above shall be—

(a) of such amounts as the Treasury may from time to time sanction; and

(b) subject to such conditions as may, with the approval of the Treasury, be prescribed by regulations made by the relevant Minister.

(3) No grant shall be made under subsection (1) above towards expenditure incurred in connection with any improvement or construction unless—

(a) the plans and sections for it have been approved by the relevant Minister; and

(b) the relevant Minister is satisfied that the work is being or has been properly carried out.

(4) The relevant Minister may, with the approval of the Treasury, make grants to the Authority in respect of expenditure properly incurred by it with a view to carrying out drainage works, being expenditure towards which, if the works had been properly carried out, a grant would have been payable under subsection (1) above.

(5) Where the Authority is about to incur—

(a) such expenditure in respect of any work as is expenditure towards which, if the work is properly carried out, a grant will be payable under subsection (1) above; or

(b) expenditure in respect of which it appears to the relevant Minister that a grant will be payable under subsection (4) above,

the relevant Minister may, with the approval of the Treasury, make advances to the Authority on account of the expenditure.

(6) In this section “the relevant Minister”—

(a) in relation to Wales, means the Secretary of State; and

(b) in relation to England, means the Minister.