§ Mr. David TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide financial assistance to Melton Borough Council 335W under the Bellwin Scheme in respect of costs incurred following flooding in the area on 25 December 1998 and 16 January 1999. [113149]
§ Ms Beverley HughesI am satisfied that financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme is justified in this case given the exceptional circumstances. A scheme will, therefore, be established under section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Grant has generally been paid to authorities at a rate of 85 per cent. of their eligible expenditure above a threshold. However, a Bellwin scheme was activated for Melton as a result of the 1998 Easter floods. Since Melton have already spent over their threshold for 1998–99 in dealing with that emergency, it seems reasonable that they should not have to do so in dealing with further incidents in the same financial year. I therefore propose to waive the threshold.