§ 27. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the damage to agriculture caused by the recent floods and the steps his Depart-men are taking to alleviate it.
§ Mr. John MackieThe recent floods covered many thousands of acres of agricultural land in the East and South-East of England. Fortunately most of the cereal crop had already been harvested so that damage was much less than it would have been had the floods come earlier. The most severe damage was to horticultural crops in the Thames Valley and to potatoes, sugar beat and beans in certain limited areas, particularly in East Anglia. There was more widespread damage to farm drainage systems, farm roads, gates and fences. We do know and are sorry that individual fanners have suffered severely.
My Department can give no direct help to alleviate losses from damage to crops and stock, but we are giving farmers all the help we can under existing grant schemes for restoration of ditches and for improvement to land and buildings necessitated by the floods. In addition, the Government will be contributing to flood relief funds. While these are likely to give priority to relief 365 of domestic losses, farming losses may also be eligible.
§ Mr. HillWill the Minister carry his survey a little further, so that he can identify in detail those farms which have suffered a real disaster? That will show him that certain growers have had all their income for the next six months washed away with the crops. Many such growers will be liable to pay heavy drainage charges for which they have clearly received no benefit. Could the hon. Gentleman consider helping in that respect?
§ Mr. MackieWe are looking into the individual cases, and we shall be obliged if hon. Members will bring to our attention any that we may miss. I shall look into the hon. Gentleman's point about drainage charges.
§ Mr. GardnerCould my hon. Friend estimate what effect this awful summer is likely to have on food prices to the consumer this winter? If they are likely to rise considerably as a result, will he take measures to protect the lower-paid workers from the effects of the increases?
§ Mr. MackieIt is very difficult to appreciate yet what effect the weather might have on the market prices of farm produce. The farmers have their guarantee from the Price Review. I will keep in mind the point my hon. Friend raised.
§ Mr. GodberTo some of us at least, the Minister's interpretation of the total extent of the damage is probably not as great, particularly in regard to cereals, as was actually the case. In any case, for many farmers, dealing with cereal and arable crops generally, a continuing problem will arise because no winter cultivations will be able to take place. Will the Minister bear in mind the need for farmers to have the greatest possible credit facilities to enable them to overcome the difficulties that will continue over at least the next 12 months?
§ Mr. MackieThe right hon. Gentleman does not need to tell me about the situation. I have seen it, and I have experienced it myself. As regards credit, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Answer yesterday of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to a Question on this subject, which I think was very satisfactory.
§ Mr. Ednyfed Hudson DaviesIs my hon. Friend aware that in areas where flooding is repeated a great deal of discontent is caused by the fact that grants allowed to river boards do not enable them to carry out in the near future renovations and alterations to river courses which would remove the problem completely? I refer particularly to the Conway Valley.
§ Mr. MackieThis is a slightly different question. It would cost thousands of millions of pounds to give adequate protection to every area that was subject to flooding in the past month or two, particularly since in some areas there were over six inches of rainfall in 24 hours. My hon. Friend would not contemplate any Government carrying out something to protect every area.
§ 31. Sir J. Rodgersasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the result of his inquiry into the cause of the recent flooding, particularly in the Kent and Sussex areas; and what proposals he is making to try to avoid similar occurrences in the future.
§ Mr. John MackieThe recent flooding was due to exceptionally heavy rainfall which, as I said earlier, in places exceeded six inches in one day. River authorities are examining their flood defences in the light of this experience, but in many places it would not be economically feasible to prevent flooding in the face of rainfall of such intensity.
§ Sir J. RodgersWould not the Minister agree that, while everyone is full of admiration of the part played by the police, the local authorities, and the voluntary organisations, nevertheless these recent floodings do reveal the need for a clearly defined high command? Furthermore, would he say whether householders, who suffered grievously in my own constituency from these floods, will receive compensation from the Government where they are not insured?
§ Mr. MackieAs the hon. Gentleman knows, there are flood relief funds to which the Government have been subscribing, and these will be used chiefly for householders and people who have been hard hit by the floods. I do know that there has been a little criticism of the warning system and we are looking 367 into the whole question again, but we have kept it continuously under review.
§ Mr. WellbelovedWill my hon. Friend bear in mind, when he is considering flood protection, the urgent needs of Londoners? Is he aware that 60 square miles of London along the banks of the Thames are daily at risk from flooding? Is he also aware that flooding from the Thames could flood London's Underground, causing terrible disaster? Will he bear in mind that the people of London expect some positive action from this Government?
§ Mr. MackieThis has been a problem for a long time, as my hon. Friend well knows, but we have this very closely under review, and at the present time discussions are going on as to the best course of action, but I am afraid that the experts themselves are not just too sure. We have asked for a further report on what is the best plan, a barrage or a barrier, and in due course a decision will be taken.
§ 32. Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what improvements he proposes, arising out of the recent experience in Hertfordshire and elsewhere, to ensure the prompt notification of flood danger so as to facilitate quick and effective preventive and remedial action by local authorities and householders in areas affected.
§ Mr. John MackieIt is not always possible to provide warning of flood danger. But in the light of the recent floods we propose to examine with the other interests concerned—river authorities, the police and the Meteorological Office—how the existing flood warning arrangements could be further improved. A conference of experts is being convened for this purpose.
§ Sir D. Walker-SmithWould the hon. Gentleman accept that, in the light of recent experience, there is a great deal of room for improvement in this context, and does he appreciate that, with the organisation of some central force to take the place of the contribution formerly made by Civil Defence, an efficient system of early notification is perhaps the greatest immediate contribution which the central Government can make in this respect?
§ Mr. MackieYes, as I said earlier, there has been criticism of the warning system, but it is not all that easy. I would just refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman back, if he is interested, as I am, in the weather every day, to last Tuesday morning when my hon. Friend at the Ministry of Defence phoned me and told me that the forecast was nearly 24 hours of continuous rain and I immediately discussed with officials whether we should put out a flood warning on the B.B.C. at one o'clock. We decided against it. The Press reported the next day that my hon. Friend at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government sent out preliminary telegrams and considerably criticised him for this, for by three o'clock the sun was shining. That is just the problem we all have to face.
§ Mr. EllisWill my hon. Friend say whether it is the river authorities as such who are responsible for issuing warnings to the general public, and, if they are not, whose responsibility it is? If it is, will he arrange with the river authorities to liaise with the Meteorological Office so that when it gives flash warnings over the broadcast the river authorities can attach to that message warning that a flood is imminent in a particular area?
§ Mr. MackieThis takes place. The river authority decides on warnings. At the Ministry of Agriculture we get notification. It is the duty of the police to give warnings locally, but, as I illustrated to the right hon. and learned Gentleman who raised this earlier, the difficulty is about how widespread these warnings should be. For one thing, we might nullify the effect of the warning system if our warnings were too widespread. If after warnings nothing happened, people might start to take no notice of them.