Flood Defence Committees (Hansard, 12 December 2002)

§ Mr. Liddell-Grainger
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers the Flood Defence Committee has to add items to the budget of the Environment Agency. [86222]

§ Mr. Morley
The Flood Defence Committees' budgets are separately identified within the overall budget of the Environment Agency. Each Committee sets its own budget for the year based on its programme of works, and contributes towards the general cost of running the Environment Agency's Flood Defence service.

§ Mr. Liddell-Grainger
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many flood defence committees there are in England and Wales. [86219]

§ Mr. Morley
There are nine Regional Flood Defence Committees in England and one in Wales. There are statutory Local Flood Defence Committees in Anglian, Southern and Wessex Regions and in Wales. In the North West region there are three non-statutory advisory committees.
All committees are listed below:
1. Anglian Region Local committees (5): Lincolnshire, Welland and Nene, Great Ouse, Norfolk and Suffolk, Essex.
2. Northumbrian Region No local committees.
3. North West Region Non statutory advisory committees (3): Cumberland, Lancashire, Mersey and Weaver.
4. Severn Trent Region No local committees.
5. Southern Region Local committees (3): Isle of Wight and Hampshire, Sussex, Kent.
6. South West Region No local committees.
7. Thames Region No local committees.
8. Wessex Region Local committees (3): Bristol Avon, Somerset, Avon and Devon.
9. Yorkshire Region No local committees.
10. Wales Local committees (6): Dee and Clywd, Gwynedd, South West Wales, Wye, Usk, Glamorgan.

§ Mr. Liddell-Grainger
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines have been set for appointments by her to flood defence committees; and how many on the committees she appoints. [86223]

§ Mr. Morley
My right hon. Friend appoints the Chairman and a number of members to each of the English Regional Flood Defence Committees (RFDCs). Sections 15–19 of, and Schedules 4 and 5 to, the 441W Environment Act 1995 set out the statutory basis for these appointments and the rules concerning composition of the committees.
RFDCs vary in size but always contain a bare majority of persons appointed by local authorities. The Environment Agency appoints two members and my right hon. Friend appoints the Chairman and the remaining members one of whom is normally appointed to represent environmental and conservation interests. When making these appointments, my right hon. Friend adheres to guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
My right hon. Friend does not make appointments to Local Flood Defence Committees. The Chair is appointed from among the RFDC members; other members are appointed by the RFDC and constituent local authorities again to form a bare majority.
The composition of each RFDC is as follows:
Anglian RFDC: One Chairman and six members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) 10 members (Local Authority appointed)
Northumbria RFDC: One Chairman and five members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) Nine members (Local Authority appointed)
North West RFDC: One Chairman and four members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) Eight members (Local Authority appointed)
Severn Trent RFDC: One Chairman and seven members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) 11 members (Local Authority appointed)
Southern RFDC: One Chairman and five members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) Nine members (Local Authority appointed)
South West RFDC: One Chairman and five members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) Nine members (Local Authority appointed)
Thames RFDC: One Chairman and eight members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) 12 members (Local Authority appointed)
Wessex RFDC: One Chairman and four members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) Eight members (Local Authority appointed)
Yorkshire RFDC: One Chairman and three members (Defra appointed) Two members (Environment Agency appointed) Seven members (Local Authority appointed)