§ Mr. Evelyn King(by private notice) asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in the light of the Portland flood disaster and the damage sustained by residents on the nights of 13 December and 13 February, he will indicate the action likely to be taken to prevent further loss, either of life or property, and the size and nature of the compensation to be provided.
§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Silkin)I should like to begin by expressing my sympathy for the residents in Portland who suffered such a terrible experience on 13 February. We are still collecting information about the cause of the very severe flooding, but it looks as though the wave action that caused the damage was of freak proportions. Subsequent reports from the Meteorological Office suggest that waves of 20 to 25 ft had built up in the Channel as a result of a storm swell in mid-Atlantic. By the time that these waves reached Portland they had increased to 40 or 50 ft, but local weather conditions gave no warning that such an onslaught was imminent.
All our efforts are at present concentrated on dealing with the problems on the spot, and it is too early yet to make a full assessment of the position. However, it is clear that no sea defences could possibly keep out freak waves of 40 to 50 ft. Even if the sea defence improvement scheme which the Wessex water authority at present has in hand had been completed, it would not have protected Portland against these conditions. Nevertheless, I have instructed my engineers to discuss straight away with the water authority what further measures now need to be taken to strengthen the sea defences and how the warning arrangements can be improved. I have told them to offer all their specialist advice to the authority and to indicate that we shall be prepared to consider sympathetically such requests for additional funds as the authority may make.
The question of compensation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. I am glad to see my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 1136 the Front Bench. He was the previous hon. Member for Dorset, South.
Briefly, the position is that the district council has powers, under section 138 of the Local Government Act 1972, to incur expenditure on assistance to householders and others affected. As on previous occasions, the Government will be prepared to grant aid to the council at the rate of 75 per cent. on any expenditure in excess of the product of a penny rate.
§ Mr. KingI thank the Minister for the sympathy that he has extended to my constituents. I add my gratitude, and I am sure his, to the Army, the Navy and local and other authorities which are at this moment dealing with the tragedy.
Is the Minister aware that this is the second time that this has happened within two months? Does he realise that this disaster means not only waves 60 ft. high but 70 families displaced? It means a pile-up of motor cars and helicopters. It means that the community is now completely isolated. It has been isolated for some days. Is he aware that this has happened, not always on this scale, twice a year for five years or more? Will the Minister hasten the action that he has indicated the Wessex water authority is prepared to take?
Is the Minister aware that this relatively poor local authority has to find £100,000 before the Department is willing to contribute anything? Does he accept that every other Portlander is a member of the Navy, the prison service or the Civil Service and has served the Government with great loyalty? Is it not now time for the Government to be generous to them?
§ Mr. SilkinI tried to make a distinction. I understand that to those who have suffered, that distinction is not all that real, but it is a distinction between the two flood occurrences—the one in December and the one today.
I saw in The Daily Telegraph a report from a local police sergeant, who said, about yesterday's disaster:
Undoubtedly this is the worst attack by the sea in living memory. None of us has known anything like it.That is not something that the Government or anybody else can do anything about.1137 What should be done to help? I have said that I have taken immediate measures to ensure that all possible help is given. My Department has given the maximum amount for which we have been asked and which we are allowed to give to assist the water authority. I understand that the work that has been going on might have been lost as a result of the second disaster and that consequently additional funds might be needed. I shall give the maximum, as I have during my term of office on each occasion that I have been asked.
The hon. Member asked about compensation under section 138 of the Local Government Act 1972. That is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. Obviously he must be asked, and I have no doubt that the local authority will ask.
§ Mr. Stephen RossMay I draw the Minister's attention to the fact that what happened at Portland yesterday happened at Torcross a couple of months ago and on the Isle of Wight last year? We all sympathise with those involved. Is it not time that we set up a national disaster fund to deal with such occurrences?
Is the Minister aware that many local authorities are unable to raise a penny rate to deal with such situations? Is it not time for him to persuade the Chancellor and the Prime Minister that we should have a national disaster fund in order to deal quickly with such tragedies?
§ Mr. SilkinThe question of a national disaster fund is raised from time to time. It is always difficult to take a particular view when one is dealing with a disaster that has hit people in a locality. On a day such as this, one's mind is full of that. But I do not believe that there is any real justification for setting up a national disaster fund. I believe that we must all play our part in building up the sea defences. The Government are doing that now.