§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 22 July 2002,Official Report, columns 704–05W, on flood defences, on what basis her Department keeps financial records for expenditure incurred on flood defences in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [73656]
572W
§ Mr. MorleyFlood management is a devolved responsibility. Records are kept of grant payments (and, for local authorities, supplementary credit approvals) made by this Department directly to the flood and coastal defence operating authorities (Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards) in England only. They are recorded at the level of individual payments and payee (in the case of the EA this is at Flood Defence Committee level) and the project to which they relate. It is possible to group payments, to total expenditure on a particular project, for all local authorities or on coast protection schemes for example, where the Department's payments database supports this.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) records revenue payments made by local authorities on flood and coastal defence for the purpose of paying Revenue Support Grant—the other mechanism by which the Government provides funding for flood and coastal defence works. Neither this Department nor the ODPM categorises payments in ways that might have assisted me to answer your previous Question and neither does the main operating authority, the Environment Agency. The Department does not routinely record other expenditure (by the operating authorities or other riparian owners).
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions(a) have taken and (b) are due to take place between (i) her Department and (ii) the Government and the Association of British Insurers regarding insurance of householders on identified flood plains; and if she will make a statement; [73508]
(2) what plans the Government have to assist households on flood plains to obtain insurance cover from the end of this year; and if she will make a statement; [73655]
§ Mr. MorleyThere have been regular Ministerial and Official level meetings between Defra, Environment Agency, HM Treasury and Association of British Insurers (ABI) to address this issue. Meetings and discussions will continue over the coming months.
We continue to work very closely with the Environment Agency and ABI to build a mutual understanding of flood risk. This will help develop a shared understanding with the insurance industry of the true risks of flooding in particular areas, taking account not only of the indicative flood plain but also the current and future provision of flood defences, and help achieve the mutual aim of ensuring the continued availability of affordable flood cover as widely as possible after the end of the year.