60. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in the co-ordination of studies between his Department, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Meteorological Office on the subject of floods in this country; and when a report may be expected.
§ Mr. John MackieThe Natural Environment Research Council is proposing 275W to carry out, in consultation with the Meteorological Office and other interested Departments including my own, research into hydrological factors relevant to the estimation of flood intensities and frequencies in the United Kingdom and to the design of flood protection works. This is a five year programme but I understand that interim results will be published as they become available.
More immediately, my own Department in consultation with river authorities, the Meteorological Office and the police are studying methods of improving the flood warning arrangements. We hope to announce the conclusions from these studies before the end of this year.