§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list for 1093W each of the last 10 financial years the Government's annual expenditure on flood prevention and flood defences. [16633]
§ Mr. MorleyFlood defence is provided by the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. The great majority of their expenditure is provided by Government in the form of DEFRA grant (which is used by local authorities to fund levies to the Environment Agency, special levies to internal drainage boards and to finance their own spend on flood and coastal defence). The following table sets out total Government funding of flood and coastal defence for the last 10 years:
£ million 1991–92 269.6 1992–93 279.7 1993–94 277.0 1994–95 274.0 1995–96 272.3 1996–97 309.7 1997–98 312.4 1998–99 315.9 1999–2000 326.3 2000–01 1328.5 1 Information updated since response to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Sayeed) on 9 November 2001, Official Report, column 451W. Total expenditure is budgeted to increase to some £377 million in the current financial year and forecast to increase further to £393 million in 2002–03 and £414 million in 2003–04.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to announce the results of her review into the financial and institutional arrangements governing flood defence matters; and if she will make a statement. [19088]
§ Mr. MorleyThe conclusions of the review of flood and coastal defence funding arrangements will be published soon and will coincide with the initiation of a public consultation on recommendations in the report.