§ 66. Mr. Hoosonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of the Government with regard to the prevention in future of recurrences of the floods of 1960, 1964 and 1965 in Wales and the western part of England.
§ Mr. John MackieThe policy of the Government is to encourage and to assist river authorities, internal drainage boards and local authorities to consider their flood problems and to carry out flood alleviation or prevention works where the cost can be justified. River authorities have a general power to initiate and carry out such works on main rivers and internal drainage boards and local authorities have powers to act in their areas. In all cases grant is available for approved expenditure.
§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the experience of farmers during the recent flooding, whether he will extend the Farm Improvement Scheme to allow grant aid for farmers raising the level of their farm buildings and houses or otherwise taking precautions to try to minimise the danger and damage arising from floods.
§ Mr. John MackieGrants are already available to drainage authorities for works to alleviate flooding.
With farm buildings the prudent thing is to build on sites not subject to flooding. The cost of raising buildings to avoid the occasional flood would probably be exorbitant and so fail the test in the Farm Improvement Scheme of cost in relation to benefit.
Each case must, however, be considered on its merits.