§ 48. Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the recent floods.
§ Mr. GreenwoodThe floods which occurred in East and South-East England in mid-September were caused by rainfall so exceptionally heavy that it is not to be expected more than once in 150 years. Moreover, this rainfall itself followed a period of heavy rain, as a result of which the land was waterlogged.
In these unprecedented conditions, magnificent work was done by the local authorities, river authorities, police, fire brigades, the armed Services and voluntary organisations such as the W.R.V.S.
We are assessing the lessons to be drawn for any future occasions of this kind and shall be issuing guidance to local authorities. On the flooding that took place elsewhere on 2nd and 3rd November, I have nothing to add to what I said in answering a Question yesterday by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Ellis).
A number of local flood relief funds have been set up, and the Government will decide on an appropriate contribution when it has more information than is at present available about the response to public appeals and the extent of uninsured losses. The administrators of 45W these relief funds have been asked to provide this information as soon as possible.
So far as local authorities' losses are concerned, sympathetic consideration will be given to assistance in the light of the scale of the damage, the availability of specific grants and insurance, and the extent of local resources.
Parliament will be asked to sanction this expenditure by means of a Supplementary Estimate to be presented in due course. In the meantime the money will be advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.—[Vol. 772, c. 482–5.]