§ 24. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will initiate a study on ways of providing a permanent solution to Portland's flooding which occurs so frequently, which is dangerous and which disrupts the life of the inhabitants.
§ Mr. Strang:The powers to carry out work to alleviate flooding are vested in water authorities and district councils. The role of my Department in this respect is confined to the payment of grant aid towards the cost of such work. A scheme to alleviate flooding at Portland is already being undertaken by the Wessex water authority, but as a result of the recent inundation and damage the Authority and the Weymouth and Portland borough council are considering urgently in consultation with my Department whether additional work will be necessary.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current estimated date of the completion of the Thames flood barrier; and if he is satisfied with the speed of construction.
§ Mr. Strang:The GLC estimates that under the present construction programme completion of the barrier could not be expected before mid-1984. A change in the programme designed to secure an improvement in this disappointing rate of progress is under urgent consideration.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the adequacy of current flood defences in London; and what is the nearest that the river level has come recently to overlapping the existing walls in central London.
§ Mr. Strang:I shall not be satisfied until the Thames barrier is completed. Exist- 832W ing flood defences in central London were improved in 1971–72 as an interim measure until the barrier is completed and they have proved adequate so far. The water level in central London on the afternoon of 31st December last, the highest recorded in recent years, was almost 2ft below the defence level.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that adequate resources are immeriately made available to enable the Southern water authority to carry out an urgent programme for the substantial improvement of the sea defences of the Isle of Sheppey, in the light of the serious flooding that has occurred twice in 12 months and the immense threat that exists to lives and property.
§ Mr. Strang:My Department has approved in full the Southern water authority's proposals for expenditure on sea defences in the Isle of Sheppey during this financial year and 1979–80. Responsibility for deciding whether the current programme should be speeded up rests with the Authority, but my right hon. Friend the Minister will be ready to consider any new proposals which are put to him by the Authority.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a full and detailed statement about the flood warning system, in the light of the flooding that occurred on the Isle of Sheppey on the night of 30th-31st December 1978, when the final warning was not given until serious flooding had already commenced; and if he will take steps to see if improved prediction measures can be developed.
§ Mr. Strang:Using data from constantly monitored tide gauges and from he Meteorological Office the East Coast storm tide warning service provides forecasts of high water levels at reference ports along the East Coast. The nearest reference port to Sheppey is Southend. If the forecasts exceed previously established danger levels, the service issues warnings, at about six hours before high tide, to the police who, after consultation with the water authority pass on warnings to public authorities and emergency services and if appropriate to the public in areas thought to be at risk. No advance warning was given at Sheppey on 30th-31 st 833W December 1978 because the service's evaluation of available data indicated that there was no danger of flooding. In the event, flooding was caused by overtopping of the sea defences by wave action as a result of very high winds combined with a not unusually high tide. From its own local warning system, the Southern water authority issued a preliminary warning that flooding might occur, but the information available on the approach to high tide did not justify a public warning. The possibility of using a recent developed system for forecasting open sea wave heights to supplement existing information provided by the storm tide warning service is being investigated.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the evaluation of agricultural land in the borough of Swale in the context of assessment for eligibility for improved sea defences.
§ Mr. Strang:The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service is helping the Southern water authority to evaluate the benefit likely to accrue to agricultural land by the improvement of sea defences along stretches of the Kent coast, including the borough of Swale. When this study is completed the authority will take decisions about the nature and timing of any improvements which may be justified.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the extent of flooding of agricultural land in the borough of Swale on 30th and 31st December 1978 and thereafter; and what compensation or assistance is available.
§ Mr. Strang:About 350 acres of agricultural land in the borough of Swale were affected by flooding on 30th and 31st December and thereafter. No livestock were reported lost. Advice for farmers and growers is available from our Agricultural Development and Advisory Service and financial assistance can be provided for a range of works and facilities under the agricultural capital grant schemes. Applicants by those affected will be given urgent and sympathetic consideration.
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