§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what action is being taken to assist the Environment Agency to complete the detailed report on the flooding across the UK in October and November 2000; when these reports are expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement; [25746]
(2) when the Environment Agency is expected to complete an assessment of the flooding in Edmonton in October 2000; and if she will make a statement. [25745]
§ Mr. MorleyOn 20 March 2001 I announced publication of the Environment Agency's Lessons Learned report on the 2000 floods. The agency subsequently produced a series of regional reports on the flooding including one for the Thames Region which covered the flooding in Edmonton.
Recommendation 1.4 in the Lessons Learned report was that
995WThe Agency will use all available information, to catalogue the flooding that took place in Autumn 2000, the local causes of flooding and how solutions or responsibility for action can be successfully attributed".The agency has been progressing this work in all the areas affected by the flooding.
As regards flooding at Edmonton, the agency commissioned consultants in July 2001 to investigate the flooding problems associated with Salmons Brook. Their study is now expected to be completed later this month (January 2002). Options to reduce the risks that are identified will be investigated in a detailed feasibility study which is expected to be completed by the end of 2003.