§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the Environment Agency's regional flood defence business plans for the South West; and if he will make a statement. [55719]
§ Mr. MorleyI am aware that the Environment Agency has put together a business plan which sets out options for the programme of flood defence work that needs to be done in the South West region. The Government set the strategy but a Government assessment of such plans would in practice amount to another level of approval and undermine the proper responsibility of the Agency. I shall be writing to the Chairmen of all Regional Flood Defence Committees about strategic flood defence priorities in the wake of the Report by the Independent Review Team on the flooding that occurred at Easter this year, and the business plan will need to take account of that.