Flood Defence Schemes
Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9:30 am
Damian Collins (Folkestone and Hythe, Conservative)
How many properties were protected from the recent flooding by flood defence schemes.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire, Conservative)
How many properties were protected from the recent flooding by flood defence schemes.
Owen Paterson (North Shropshire, Conservative)
The Environment Agency estimates that more than 22,000 properties in England
and Wales that would otherwise have flooded in December have been protected through a combination of flood defences, maintenance work, storage basins and temporary defence measures. In addition, 183,000 properties were protected between April and November.
Damian Collins (Folkestone and Hythe, Conservative)
Does the Secretary of State agree that it is important that the Environment Agency’s flood maps are as clear and accurate as possible? When the Dymchurch sea wall was completed in my constituency, it took a considerable time for the benefits of the scheme to be known to home owners and industry.
Owen Paterson (North Shropshire, Conservative)
My hon. Friend raises an important point. The Environment Agency’s national flood risk assessment assesses the likelihood of flooding and that information should be transferred to insurance companies when the new data are available. I understand that local circumstances meant there was a delay in his constituency, but the map will be updated in April.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire, Conservative)
I thank the Secretary of State for paying a visit to Upton upon Severn to see how the new flood defences protected the community through last winter’s floods. Will he consider carefully the business case and bid for flood defences for the market town of Tenbury Wells when they come to the Environment Agency later this year?
Owen Paterson (North Shropshire, Conservative)
I enjoyed visiting my hon. Friend’s constituency. I pay tribute to those in the Environment Agency, councils and other public services who worked so hard over Christmas and the new year. She is an indefatigable supporter of her constituents’ demands and the Tenbury Wells scheme is in play as part of the extra funding that is being made available, but I cannot make any announcements today.
Gavin Shuker (Luton South, Labour)
In government, Labour provided funding to protect 160,000 households from flooding over two years. This Government will take four years to protect the same number of properties. Why?
Owen Paterson (North Shropshire, Conservative)
That is a slightly dotty question. Some flood schemes take several years to plan and this really is not a party political issue; schemes were built by the previous Labour Government from which we are benefiting now and we are building schemes now that will last for a generation. There are substantial schemes in play. The circumstances have been incredibly difficult because of the awful mess we inherited—we still have the worst deficit in western Europe—but despite that we plan to spend £2.1 billion to protect 145,000 properties. In the spending round in November we got an extra £120 million that will over time protect a further 60,000 properties. These are good schemes and the hon. Gentleman should support them.