§ Mr. Banksasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to ask appropriate water authorities for updated plans for flood prevention works in the light of the recent severe flooding; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerMy Department maintains constant informal contact with water authorities about their land drainage and flood alleviation programmes. The responsibility for proposing new schemes or speeding up existing plans rests with the land drainage committees of the authorities and we are satisfied that they are giving this their urgent attention. Discussions have already been held with those authorities where there has been recent flooding and we have made it clear that we are ready to consider changes to the programmes for 1982–83.