§ Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was (a) allocated to and (b) spent on coastal damage compensation in each of the last live years. [163614]
§ Mr. Morley: Defra does not allocate funds to be spent on coastal damage compensation. Except in limited circumstances no compensation is payable to those affected by flooding or erosion, including cases where it is decided not to defend a particular area., or to undertake managed realignment. This approach, adopted by successive governments, is justified by current legislation which provides operating authorities with permissive powers to undertake flood and coastal defence works. There is no general obligation to build or maintain defences at all or to a particular standard. Consonant with this approach, the legislation also makes no provision for compensation from public funds to persons whose property or land are affected by erosion or flooding.