§ Mr. GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he was informed of the report into flood dangers by the Flood Hazard Research Centre at Middlesex University. [137400]
§ Ms Beverley HughesMy Department received in July 2000 a copy of the "National appraisal of assets at risk from flooding and coastal erosion", a report produced for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by Halcrow Maritime, HR Wallingford and the Flood Hazard Research Centre. It was circulated at the same time to all Regional Flood Defence Committee Chairmen, Regional Directors of the Environment Agency and Chief Executives of all local authorities in England.
349WThe report presents a generalised overview of assets at risk in order to inform investment planning for flood and coastal defence. It demonstrates that some 10 per cent. of the population of England live within areas potentially at risk from flooding and property worth over £200 billion is also potentially at risk. It also confirms the value for money of past and present investment in flood and coastal defence but concludes that existing practices for undertaking and funding flood and coastal defence should be reappraised.
The results were used to inform the Spending Review 2000 and have been taken into account in the revision of the new draft planning guidance on development and flood risk in PPG25, which we issued for consultation in April 2000 and hope to publish in final form in December this year.
§ Mr. GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had in the past six months with Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about flood defence; and if he will make statement. [137399]
§ Mr. MullinPolicy responsibility for flood defence rests with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has had several recent discussions with Ministers from MAFF and other Departments to consider how the country can be better placed to deal with extreme weather events.