§ Mr. HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requests for funding she has received from the Environment Agency to prevent future flooding of the(a) Ouse, (b) Uck and (c) Cuckmere; and if she will make a statement. [8676]
§ Mr. MorleyFollowing the severe flooding last year, this Department has responded with a number of funding initiatives, some of which have benefited the Environment Agency's flood management of the Ouse, Uck and Cuckmere directly as shown in the table.
£000 Initiative Benefit to Ouse, Uck and Cuckmere Contribution to emergency response and repairs costs over 500 Special funding of design and feasibility costs of, for River Ouse strategy 150 The agency has made some estimates for possible capital works in its medium term plans and these will be considered for grant aid in the normal way when detailed applications are submitted.
§ Mr. HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the Environment Agency regarding the funding of the agency's four proposed schemes to combat flooding of the River Uck. [9768]
§ Mr. MorleyNone. We understand that the Environment Agency are still considering a range of options for schemes to alleviate flooding from the River Uck. No doubt when the agency has identified its preferred options, applications will be submitted to this Department for grant aid. Any such applications will be considered sympathetically against the normal economic, technical an environmental criteria and priority score arrangements.