§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to give local authorities assistance to help them with the damage to highways caused by the recent floods. [160721]
§ Mr. HillWe have decided to give extra assistance this year to those English authorities where the cost of dealing with flood damage to their highways would absorb a high proportion of their available resources for highway maintenance. Officials are writing to authorities seeking up to date information on the cost of flood damage before the final level of support is determined, but on the basis of the information we have received to date it is likely that the total payments nationally will be in the region of £12 million.