HC Deb 18 November 1998 vol 319 cc897-905 12.30 pm
Mr. Huw Edwards (Monmouth)

Wales has a reputation for rain, but the rain that fell between 21 and 23 October and during the following week was exceptional. Compared to the horrific and unimaginable effects of Hurricane Mitch in central America, our experience was relatively mild, but what happened may be related to the increasing incidence of severe weather, which is attributed to the climatic change caused by global warming.

The aim of the debate is to reflect the concerns of people who were directly affected in those floods, to consider the role of the public services, and to call on the Welsh Office to review the readiness and capacity to respond to incidents of serious flooding in the context of global climatic change.

On the morning of 23 October, I saw in my constituency the effects of the worst floods that south Wales has experienced since 1979, when 7,500 properties were affected. Some would say that the floods were the worst since 1945. The Environment Agency interim report on the October floods states that 500 homes in Wales were flooded; rainfall generally exceeded 150 mm, or 6 in; and in certain locations, such as Treherbert in the Rhondda valley, up to 9 in of rainfall was recorded.

The worst-affected areas have been Merthyr Vale and Aberfan, where residents reported a "surge of clean water" from the Afon Taff, which flooded 160 properties in a few minutes; Pontypridd was flooded by the Taff and Rhondda rivers; Forth, New Tredegar and Ystrad Mynach were affected; in Llandovery, the Afon Bran flooded 155 properties; in Pencoed, near Bridgend, 61 properties were affected; in Aberdulais, 17 properties were flooded; and in the Vale of Glamorgan, about 30 properties were flooded as a result of the level of the River Thaw, and there was widespread disruption to traffic.

Mr. John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan)

The extent of the damage due to flooding in Vale of Glamorgan as portrayed in the Environment Agency's interim report greatly understates the damage that was caused. It is a miracle that no one was killed in my constituency. One old-age pensioner—Mrs. Jennings of Ham Manor Park—waded almost neck deep in flood water, late on the Saturday night. There was total confusion about who my constituents could turn to, and who is responsible in such situations. Should my hon. Friend call for an inquiry, I would support him.

Mr. Edwards

My hon. Friend makes a valid point on behalf of his constituents. What he says adds force to the argument that there should be an independent inquiry into these floods.

I visited homes that were flooded near Abergavenny.

Mr. Paul Keetch (Hereford)

I would echo the call for an inquiry, because not only south Wales was affected by the floods. Herefordshire and the borders were severely affected; indeed, in Herefordshire, one person died in the flooding. Hon. Members will want to commemorate that, and send their condolences to that farmer's family.

May I ask the hon. Gentleman two questions? He mentioned environmental changes. Two physical changes have been cited—certainly in Herefordshire—in respect of the problems of the recent flooding. One is that Welsh Water allegedly opened the sluice gates from reservoirs to release pressure, which caused a surge. That allegation has been denied by Welsh Water, but it has been constantly repeated, and he will have heard it.

The second change to be cited is that, because of the problems associated with agriculture, there have been changes in farming practice, most notably stopping cattle grazing near river edges, which has led to the planting of potatoes. That has caused an increase in topsoil going into rivers, which is silting them up. Will the hon. Gentleman comment on that?

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Lord)

Order. I remind all hon. Members that this a brief debate. Time is precious.

Mr. Edwards

The hon. Gentleman makes a valid point on behalf of his constituents. The whole House will express its condolences to the family of his constituent who lost his life during the floods. I understand that the issue relating to sluice gates may be mentioned by the Minister in his response.

In respect of the homes that I visited near Abergavenny, there was dispute about whether red warnings were issued in time. I met residents in Usk whose homes had been flooded in Llanbadoc. The homes that I visited had been flooded as a result of the failure of the drainage system to cope with the flooding, not because of the River Usk bursting its banks. Despite warnings that there would be a major incident in Usk, that was prevented as a result of the investment in flood defences introduced since 1979.

At a farm near Glangwryne near my constituency, I saw dozens of sheep that had been drowned. Near Usk, more than 40 cattle were reported to have been swept into a flooded river, but, miraculously, all survived. Farmers have experienced a depressing time in recent years, but these incidents have tested to the limit their commitment to farming. As the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) said, at least one farmer lost his life trying to save livestock.

Following the floods, roads were damaged and rendered impassable; drains were blocked, which caused further flooding; wide areas of farmland and open space were transformed into lakes; on the A4042 at Llanellen, near Abergavenny, the River Usk broke its banks with such rapidity that vehicles were stranded, and some drivers and passengers in lorries and cars were rescued in the dead of night.

I have no doubt that, without the efficient and heroic actions of the police and fire services, there could have been serious tragedies. I pay tribute to the retained fire service crew at Abergavenny fire station, which answered numerous calls for assistance during the night. Many of those retained fire officers would have already done a day's work in their normal place of occupation, and may have had to go to work afterwards as well.

South Wales fire services responded to 320 calls about flooding in Gwent alone, and Gwent police placed considerable resources into a gold command at police headquarters in Cwmbran. I also commend the work of Monmouthshire county council and the Environment Agency in my area, and the many individuals who gave their time to assist their neighbours. In Usk, the town council reported problems in the provision of sandbags, and properties prone to flooding were not protected. Concern has also been expressed about the provision of water pumps and dehumidifier equipment, and about whose responsibility it is to provide such equipment.

The following weekend, some properties were flooded in Monmouth town as a result of the dangerous rise in the level of the River Wye, but more widespread flooding was prevented by the flood prevention measures to which I have referred. As the Environment Agency has stated, a key outcome of success is the absence of a flooding incident. Such outcomes are, by definition, unmeasurable.

In recent weeks, we have seen the horrifying effects of the hurricane and the flooding in central America. The apparent worsening of weather conditions has raised many questions about the impact of climate change caused by global warming. The latest findings from the United Kingdom Hadley centre on the changing face of the United Kingdom's weather do not bring good news.

Temperatures are rising. The average global temperature in 1998 is likely to exceed that of 1997, which is the hottest on record. Rainfall will increase during the winter and autumn across the United Kingdom, especially in the north-west and Wales. Consequently, it is predicted that we will experience an increase in climatic extremes such as greater risk of flooding. Although the Government are taking a leading role in the world in addressing the threat of climate change, this evidence shows that the events in south Wales are likely to recur.

Mr. Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley)

I am not certain whether the Territorial Army was involved in dealing with the floods in Monmouth and the rest of south Wales, but would not the hon. Gentleman concede that, in general, the armed services, including the TA, become involved when such emergencies happen, and that that is one reason why we should be cautious about reductions in the TA, such as that announced yesterday by the Secretary of State for Defence?

Mr. Edwards

I assure the hon. Gentleman that I will discuss the Army and the TA later in my speech.

Following the Easter floods, which affected mainly Northamptonshire, but also Skenfrith in Monmouthshire, the Government established an independent inquiry. I have written to the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones), to ask for an independent inquiry into the recent floods, and I am disappointed that, in his parliamentary answer, he has rejected my request.

I ask him to reconsider, and to conduct a general review into flooding in Wales. The review could assess the preparation for climatic changes that seem to affect our country and other nations more frequently; whether our public services are equipped and prepared for civil emergencies such as major flooding, as occurred in south Wales recently and in Towyn in north Wales a few years ago; progress in establishing automatic warning systems; whether the powers of local authorities with respect to flooding should be reviewed and whether local authorities are adequately resourced to deal with flood emergencies; and what role the regular Army or Territorial Army can play in civil emergencies such as flooding.

I acknowledge what the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) says, but it is important to remember that the aim of yesterday's announcement on the Territorial Army was to ensure that the TA can be modernised to respond more effectively to emergencies in this country and abroad when necessary. However, there appears to be a grey area as to when and under what circumstances the Army and the TA in my area are brought in to respond to a civil emergency. I am concerned that the TA tells me that, under a provision of the previous Government, local authorities are billed for the response of the TA, which often makes them reluctant to call it out.

There is also a need to review planning guidelines on development on flood plains, following the recommendations of the Bye report into the Easter floods. One of the lessons of the October floods must be that planning guidelines need to be revised and consistent between Government Departments and the Environment Agency.

Mr. Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire)

On that point, does the hon. Gentleman agree that prevention will be far cheaper than the cost of clear-up afterwards?

Mr. Edwards

The hon. Gentleman makes a valid point. Surely the thrust of this debate is that prevention is better than cure.

The flooding of any person's home must be one of the most traumatic personal experiences. Some people have experienced flooding on more than one occasion. Many people live with the constant threat of flooding. For every one of those 500 or 600 families that were affected in October, it was a tragic event. They will naturally ask questions about the circumstances in which their properties were flooded and about the response of the public services.

The aim of the debate has been to raise the concerns of those who have been affected by the floods, to ask for a review into the response of the public services, and to ask the Government to consider whether we are capable of responding effectively to major incidents such as flooding that is caused by global warming.

At the Buenos Aires conference, the Deputy Prime Minister said: The cost of climate change could be dwarfed by the cost of ignoring it. That applies in Wales as it does everywhere else.

12.42 pm
Mr. Ted Rowlands (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Mr. Edwards) for allowing me to participate in the debate. I shall confine my remarks to the local situation. As he pointed out, nearly 200 households in my constituency were seriously affected; they were in Merthyr Vale, Aberfan, Abercanaid, Quaker's Yard, New Tredegar and Tirphil. All suffered the heart-breaking consequences of flooding. I agree with my hon. Friend: there is nothing more heart-breaking than walking into a flooded home. Many people are proud of their homes. To see them covered in sludge and mud is terrible.

The heart-breaking consequences of flooding were brought home to us that weekend—more so in our case, because some of the same streets and communities were hit 20 years ago. Because we had believed that, in many cases, we had put up sufficient defences against a repetition of those heart-breaking events of Boxing night and afterwards 20 years ago, it was all the more heart-breaking to see the same streets and communities affected—not all; some streets were not affected this time, but, in many cases, the same households were hit 20 years ago.

Therefore, rightly and understandably, there is a justifiable demand for answers about why the flooding happened. In the case of my constituency, there are three or four major questions. First, with all the elaborate processes that were supposed to be in place, why was there no flood warning alert until extremely late in the day—impossibly late to take any meaningful action in Merthyr Vale and Aberfan?

Secondly, many residents in my community testified to surges of clean water coming down the valley. The allegation has been made that, somehow, the water was released from reservoirs at the top. I know that it has been denied, but it has not been explained—another reason why we need an inquiry and the sort of assurances that an inquiry would bring.

Thirdly, the culverts just could not take it. We understand that the weather was exceptional, but I have heard residents say that some culverts and drains had not been maintained properly, supervised or regularly checked, despite repeated requests by local people, so there is the whole issue of maintenance of water systems.

Finally, there is river management: maintaining river banks, cleanliness and the safety of river flows. That was a factor in Tirphil and New Tredegar, where concerns had already been expressed to the Environment Agency some time ago.

All that points to a series of unanswered questions by all those in the communities most affected, and demands for action. In that case, I believe that my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth is right. Besides the great climatic issues that he has properly raised—he has put flooding into the broader context—there is a need for answers to questions.

The Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones), has the power to appoint an inspector, so that evidence can be brought openly and fairly by residents and witnesses to the events to an independent inspector. The Environment Agency, Welsh Water and local authorities can then come to that inspector, explain and, I hope, discover openly and publicly the reasons for those events, and the action that can be taken to prevent them from happening again. Therefore, I hope that my hon. Friend does not slam the door on an inquiry, which is necessary to remove the understandable anger and scepticism that exists as a result of communities and households being flooded so tragically for the second time in 20 years.

12.46 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Jon Owen Jones)

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Mr. Edwards) on raising this important issue, my hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on supporting him, and the many hon. Friends who are also on the Benches to support my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth and to represent constituents who have suffered grievously in the floods.

Twenty years ago, on 27 December, while in Aberdare, I was one of those unfortunate residents who was flooded in that severe flood. As I lived in a bungalow at the time, it was particularly problematic, so I genuinely recognise the difficulties facing many of the constituents of my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth.

Unfortunately, floods are a fact of life, and some flooding is inescapable. Nevertheless, although we cannot prevent flooding, we can take action to reduce the risks. When flooding does occur, we must ensure that we do all we can to issue appropriate warnings and to mitigate its effects.

I pay tribute to the strenuous efforts of all those involved in alleviating the effects of the recent flooding in Wales, particularly the staff of the Environment Agency, who worked very long hours to provide round-the-clock forecasting and warning. I was able to see them in action on the Saturday that much of the flooding occurred, and was impressed by the way in which they were handling matters.

The Environment Agency work force, from both Wales and England, who came to provide relief, were extremely busy checking the security of the agency's defences, reinforcing them as necessary, and otherwise assisting whenever they could. Likewise, staff from many local authorities were keeping their defences in order, clearing debris from culverts, and sandbagging, saving many properties from the effects of flooding. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, some areas were flooded. Our sincere thanks must go yet again to the police, fire service, local authorities and voluntary organisations that were involved in evacuation, providing temporary accommodation and assisting with clean-up operations.

I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in sending our sympathy to all the people whose homes and businesses were damaged and whose lives were affected by the event, and, in particular, to those who suffered bereavement. I offer my sincere condolences to their families and friends.

I am aware that, for various reasons, some people were not insured. Help may be available to flood victims in receipt of income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance from the social fund by way of community-care grants or interest-free budgeting loans. People who are not receiving income support may be eligible for a crisis loan. Guidance has recently been issued to all social fund staff on the payment of grants to victims of disasters such as fire floods; that does not, of course, change the policy of successive Governments that, in the case of individuals and most organisations, responsibility for their property is a matter for them.

The rainfall that lead to the flooding was severe. Up to 9 in was recorded between 20 and 25 October, when the flooding was worst in the south Wales valleys. There was further heavy rain on 27 and 31 October, which caused flooding in mid-Wales and the Vale of Glamorgan respectively. The ground was already saturated, and the rainfall simply ran off the hillsides towards the rivers, with little being absorbed.

That rainfall led to large increases in the flow of water in many rivers. Reservoirs overflowed—as they are designed to in such events, for safety reasons. Some, including hon. Members today, have asked whether the flows downstream were increased by discretionary releases that exacerbated flooding, but I am assured that they were not. The hydrological data requested by the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Mr. Livsey) will soon make its way to him. I have overall responsibility for flood defence in Wales, and administer grant aid for capital schemes, but the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of defence measures on main rivers is the responsibility of the Environment Agency. In the case of ordinary watercourses, responsibility rests with local authorities and internal drainage boards. The Environment Agency, however, is also required to exercise general supervision of all matters relating to flood defence, and I have therefore asked the agency for a full report on the floods.

In an interim report to me, the agency has said that the impact on some rivers in south Wales was on a par with that of 1979. On that occasion, flooding of towns and villages was widespread: more than 7,500 properties were flooded, including several hundred in Monmouth. I understand that, on this occasion, only about 700 properties were flooded throughout Wales. That reflects well on investment in flood defences on rivers in south Wales over the past few decades.

Mr. Keetch

I am sorry to press the Minister, but the flooding of the River Wye in Herefordshire, which subsequently affected Monmouth, was considerably worse than the flooding in 1979: indeed, local experts have described it as the worst since 1960. Will the Environment Agency's interim report, and the full report, cover the English borders?

Mr. Jones

My responsibilities cover the borders within Wales. I am not sure of the answer to the hon. Gentleman's question, but I will write to him as soon as I have discovered it.

I must give credit to the work of the regional flood defence committee for Wales, and to the relevant local flood defence committees. With the support of the Environment Agency and its predecessors, they have guided and overseen the investment. Much of the money for the work has been provided by local authorities through levies, and I acknowledge the part that those authorities have played in the improvement of defence to protect their towns and villages. That is, of course, in addition to local authorities' own expenditure on flood alleviation in the smaller watercourses and local drainage.

As a result of that expenditure, no properties were flooded on this occasion in Monmouth, where enhanced protection has been provided. It is simply not physically or economically possible to protect everyone, which is why the Government have given flood warning the highest priority.

Mr. Edwards

My hon. Friend says that there was no flooding in Monmouth. According to the Environment Agency, four properties were flooded, but they were outside the defended area.

Mr. Jones

I apologise. I was not informed that properties in Monmouth were flooded.

Flood warning is one of the functions of the Environment Agency. Just two years ago, it was asked to take over the dissemination of such warnings from the police, and to expand the service over a period of five years. For that purpose, new technology has been introduced in the form of automatic voice messaging, so that anyone whose property is at risk of flooding can be dialled and given warning. More general warnings are given to local authorities, emergency services and other organisations, including the media.

General warnings of serious flooding to properties were given on 19 rivers simultaneously at the height of the event. Although not all whom the agency wishes to be on the system in the long term are connected yet, it used the system to issue 16,500 individual flood warnings between 20 and 25 October.

The areas worst affected by flooding from rivers were Aberfan, Llandovery, Pencoed and Aberdulais. At Pontardawe in the Swansea valley, serious flooding was caused by a breach in the bank of the Swansea canal. There were also instances, too numerous to mention, of flooding from blockage of culverts, and from surface water drains that were unable to cope with the deluge.

Mr. Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff, West)

May I briefly make a point that no one has made so far? One of the most alarming and depressing features of flooding, especially in urban areas, is the contamination of flood water by sewage. Will my hon. Friend be touching on that? One of the fears that people experience when they are cleaning up and deciding whether to throw carpets away is that fear of sewage contamination.

Mr. Jones

I know that it is a big problem, but I do not know at this stage whether it can be avoided, either practically or financially.

I look forward to the Environment Agency's more comprehensive report on the flooding. Work is being commissioned separately from independent consultants on the situation at Aberfan, and their findings will be made available. The British Waterways Board has commissioned an independent report on the flooding at Pontardawe. We shall look closely at those reports, for there are always lessons to be learnt. I expect central Government, flood defence committees, the Environment Agency and local authorities to learn from the experience, so that we may do better in the future. We cannot stop rain or flooding, but, when cost-effective action can reduce the risks, we must ensure that it is taken.

I have been asked today for a separate independent inquiry into the flooding. I have considered the matter carefully, but, in the light of the work that is to be undertaken, I do not believe that such an inquiry is needed on this occasion. The Environment Agency commissioned an independent review of the flooding at Easter from Mr. Peter Bye. The need for an independent review arose on that occasion because of a widespread concern about the failure to issue warnings, and other significant operational issues.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food made a statement on the Bye report to the House on 20 October. As he said then, the Government and the Environment Agency take the report very seriously, and are moving swiftly to deal with the vital issues that were identified in it.

Mr. Rowlands

My hon. Friend said that the inquiry was held because of flood warning problems. Flood warning is one of the big issues affecting Aberfan and Merthyr Vale. Does not the fact that warnings were not given there strengthen our case for the appointment of an inspector?

Mr. Jones

At the time of the Easter floods, there was widespread concern about the failure to give warnings, but that was not the case in Wales. The report arising from the English floods, however, has identified numerous issues, and an action plan will be announced before the end of the month. A comprehensive series of measures will be taken, all of which will affect the way in which we deal with floods in Wales in the future. It is not felt at this stage that an additional independent inquiry is necessary in Wales.

Naturally, the conclusions and recommendations of the Bye report will be foremost in minds when considering what lessons might be drawn from the recent flooding. I note that, during the debate on the Bye report, my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth queried whether Welsh Office planning guidelines needed to be revised so that there is a presumption against new housing development on flood plains. Responsibility for preparing development plans and determining planning applications rests with local planning authorities.

Current planning guidance that local planning authorities should take into account in carrying out those duties is stated in the document "Planning Guidance (Wales): Planning Policy". The guidance advises authorities to ensure that development plan policies and planning decisions take account—

Mr. Deputy Speaker

Order. We must now turn to the next debate.

Forward to