§ Patrick MercerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for flood protection in the Newark area. [16259]
§ Mr. MorleyOperational responsibility for flood alleviation measures rests with the local operating authorities, namely the Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Boards and local councils. DEFRA provides grant for flood defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score.
I understand that the Environment Agency is considering the feasibility of capital works in the Brewers Wharf area of Newark, but has yet to make plans for the timing of any such works. The Agency will be developing a strategy for the River Trent within the next 12 to 18 months. The completed strategy will inform the 843W agency's plans for flood management between Stoke on Trent and Newark. A similar strategy will be prepared for the tidal reach of the river in due course.
§ Mr. SwireTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of flood defence preparations for those properties most at risk in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [17278]
§ Mr. MorleyFlood defence is a fully devolved function and my Department has policy responsibility only for England.
Defences that were damaged in last year's floods have been repaired and reinstated so that communities are now at least as well defended as, and often better than, they were before the flooding. Work on long-term improvement to flood defences is under way using the increased funding that DEFRA has made available to the flood and coastal defence operating authorities, including provision for accelerating river flood defence works. Tried and tested arrangements remain in place for responding to flooding emergencies. The effectiveness of these arrangements were demonstrated by the response to last year's flooding which were underpinned by emergency exercises carried out in previous months, the requirement for which was contained in this Department's high level targets for flood and coastal defence.
My Department has commissioned independent research on those assets at risk from flooding and coastal erosion. The outcome was included in a report on "National assessment of assets at risk from Flooding and Coastal Erosion" in September. One output was a set of maps showing current flood defence standards. This report will inform the assessment by operating authorities of local flood risk.
Another of our high level targets requires operating authorities to carry out inspections of flood and coastal defences; the Environment Agency is required to collect these assessments into a national report which assesses flood risk. I will publish this report when complete.
My Department, in partnership with the Environment Agency, is establishing a national flood and coastal defence database which will contain information on defences and assets at risk of flooding and coastal erosion. The database will start to become operational in spring 2002 but full operability depends on completion of information gathering, validation and electronic recording for the vast number of flood and coastal defences.