§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the compatibility of the surface water drainage in Shrewsbury with proposed flood defence schemes; and if he will make a statement. [144098]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 8 January 2001]: Local surface water drainage is considered as part of the detailed development of any flood defence scheme and, as such, will be assessed by the Environment Agency as flood defence proposals are developed for Shrewsbury.
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made to establish the level of funding paid by the Regional Flood Defence Committee for a new flood defence scheme in Shrewsbury; and if he will make a statement. [144100]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 8 January 2001]: The level of funding provided to any flood defence scheme is a matter for the Regional Flood Defence Committee. However, as part of the initiative to accelerate the river flood defence capital programme, the Ministry has announced that from April 2001 that all fluvial rates of grant will be increased by 20 per cent. Grant eligible river 524W defence works in the Severn Trent Regional Flood Defence Committee area will therefore attract an enhanced rate of grant of 35 per cent. Any further grant rate increase would be dependent on the scale of the Committee's grant eligible capital programme.