§ Mr. HopkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish reports received under her Department's high level targets for flood and coastal defence; and if she will make a statement. [60263]
§ Mr. MorleyI am today publishing four reports and placing copies in the House Libraries. These reports relate to:
and
- Target 1—Policy statements;
- Target 2—Provision of flood warnings;
- Target 3—Emergency exercises and emergency plans;
Target 9—Biodiversity.
642W I am grateful to the. Environment Agency for providing these reports and to the other operating authorities who have contributed to the work which is being reported upon. The severe floods of Autumn 2000 created inevitable delays in producing these reports. Some other reports will be produced later this year, covering a two year period.
The high level targets initiative is designed to secure a more certain delivery of the Government's policy aim and objectives for flood and coastal defence. In the difficult circumstances of the past year or so the results being reported today are encouraging though they do point to the need for further work to be done, including by some operating authorities, to offer a more consistent approach to service delivery.
On target 1, I am pleased that the great majority of operating authorities have produced a suitable statement of their policy towards flood and coastal defence. While there is a significant minority of local authorities who have not produced statements, many of them are understood to have little or no flood and coastal defence responsibilities. Nevertheless there are some local authorities who have more significant responsibilities and we will be working with the Environment Agency and Local Government Association in encouraging them to produce statements.
On target 2, I note that overall some two-thirds of the Environment Agency's severe flood warnings were issued in accordance with their service standards. This is encouraging especially in the face of the severe demands of the 2000 floods. The Agency nevertheless recognise that there is room for improvement and are working on a new investment strategy. It is also worth recording that since Autumn 2000 a further 322,000 properties are covered by the Agency's flood warning arrangements.
On target 3, programmes of emergency exercises were disrupted by the 2000 floods, foot and mouth disease and, to some extent, the events of September 11. Nevertheless 22 emergency exercises were carried out in 2001 and lessons learned from them are identified in the report. 27 local or regional exercises are planned for this year and a national exercise is planned for 2003. I am also pleased to note that good progress has been made in ensuring that local emergency plans cover flooding and that there are arrangements in hand for these to be reviewed, particularly to cover the local sources of flooding and provision of sandbags.
On target 9, the report shows that flood and coastal defence works have resulted in net gains in a number of habitats covered by Biodiversity Action Plans. This work is often alleged to be damaging to the environment but the report provides evidence to the contrary. While this is very encouraging, work is in hand to ensure more rigorous collection of this information for future reports.
I expect to publish further reports later this year. We will also be working with the operating authorities in reviewing the operation of high level targets with a view to refining and extending the initiative.