§ 17. Sir Michael SpicerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on flooding in the West Country in the last year. [20573]
§ Mr. MorleyFollowing record levels of rainfall, the West Country suffered serious flooding last autumn and winter. The full extent of the flooding was set out in the Environment Agency's Lessons Learned reports. Since then flood defences have been repaired and where necessary strengthened so residents have at least as much protection as they did before the floods, and often are better defended. Longer term improvements in flood defence are in hand in many areas.