§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list(a) the local drainage boards for England and Wales and (b) the budget of each board for (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02, (iii) 2002–03, (iv) 2003–04 and (v) 2004–05. [89623]
§ Margaret BeckettA list of drainage boards wholly or partly in England, together with income and expenditure figures for the years 2000–01 and 2001–02, have today been placed in the Libraries of the House. Information for later years is not yet available, as this is submitted on an annual basis. Flood defence is a fully devolved responsibility and the information related to boards in Wales should be sought from the National Assembly.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the future of local drainage boards. [89624]
§ Margaret BeckettThe current institutional arrangements for flood and coastal defence are currently being considered in the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review. While, along with ministerial colleagues, I am currently considering the conclusions of the review, I would expect to see a continuing role for internal drainage boards as, whatever future arrangements evolve, the Environment Agency could not take on all the essentially local work done by the Boards. It will, however, be necessary to ensure that, under future arrangements, the Boards are structured in such a way that they can deliver their responsibilities and duties effectively.