§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when the Environment Agency will publish maps showing the climate change zone in relation to the one in 100 year floodplain; [148282]
629W(2) when the Environment Agency will publish policies on the incorporation of climate change calculation into the determination of floodplain. [148283]
§ Margaret BeckettThe Environment Agency's Flood Mapping Strategy of July 2003 outlines 2005 as the earliest date for delivery of the 'Flood Zones for year 2050' onto the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database. 'Flood Zones for year 2050' is a dataset to show planners the anticipated extent of a range of flood probabilities (including, for fluvial flooding, a zone showing the one per cent. or one in 100 year probability) in the year 2050, taking account of current guidance on climate change.
The Environment Agency follows government policies and guidance for climate change; for floodplain, this is found in PPG25. The 'Flood Zones for year 2050' will incorporate the climate change guidance found in Appendix A of PPG25, namely an allowance for sea level rise and an increase in fluvial flows of 20 per cent.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the results of the work commissioned by the Environment Agency to model the impact of a one in 100 year plus 20 per cent. flood on the River Thames will be available. [148284]
§ Margaret BeckettI understand that the Environment Agency expect the final results from modelling the impact of various floods on the River Thames, including the one in 100 year plus 20 per cent. will be available by summer 2004.