HC Deb 20 January 2003 vol 398 cc97-9W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what budget has been allocated to(a) create and (b) maintain the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database; how much has been spent and is planned to be spent in each financial year; and if she will make a statement. [89636]

Margaret Beckett

Defra is meeting the full external costs of developing the database by way of contributions to the Environment Agency. Up to and including the current financial year, this has amounted to some £2.2 million.

Management and on-going maintenance will be funded from normal operating budgets of the Agency. The Business Case anticipates that there will be a significant net gain from the expected savings in improved efficiency of data management and operational activities.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which organisations have access to the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database; what plans she has to allow further access; and if she will make a statement. [89743]

Margaret Beckett

The Environment Agency advise that the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) is now available to staff within the EA and will subsequently be made available to all other operating authorities with responsibilities for Flood and Coastal Defence as well as to Defra and the National Assembly for Wales.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the(a) terms and (b) objectives are of her Departments' contract with Scisys for the provison of the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database. [89682]

Margaret Beckett

The Department has no contract with Science Systems Ltd. SciSys is one of the Environment Agency's Framework Partners for provision of IT Systems Development and Support. The objectives of the contract for the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) are for the development and subsequent support of Phase One and Two of the system.

Mr. Lidington:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports she has received from (a) the Environment Agency, (b) Coastal Defence Groups, and (c) Coastal Protection Authorities about the implementation of High Level Targets 6a and 6b; and what action has been taken to inspect coast protection assets in pursuance of High Level Target 6A. [89761]

Margaret Beckett

[holding answer 13 January 2003]: A number of coastal groups, on behalf of coast protection authorities, have submitted reports on inspection programmes and assessments of coastal erosion risk as required by High Level Target 6; no such reports are required from the Environment Agency. However it has been recognised that it would be useful to develop a methodology for a more consistent approach to the assessment of coastal erosion risk. To that end Defra will be forming a working group with representatives from the coastal groups to consider what research is needed, and the outcome will inform future reports for this High Level Target.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what proportion of(a) England and Wales by area, (b) coastline in England and Wales and (c) properties at risk of flooding information is now available on the national flood and coastal defence database. [89635]

Margaret Beckett:

Information on flood defences for the coastline of England and Wales and all main rivers is available in the national flood and coastal defence database (NFCDD) to staff within the Environment Agency. General flood plain information on properties at risk is available by inclusion in NFCDD of the indicative maps.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when final testing for Phase One of the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database was completed; what progress has been made with Phase Two; and if she will make a statement. [89637]

Margaret Beckett

The Environment Agency have confirmed that Phase One of the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) has been successfully tested within the EA, but testing with the other operating authorities is not yet complete. The development of Phase Two of the NFCDD is currently being completed and is planned to be implemented in the EA and available to the operating authorities, together with Phase One, by June 2003.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money was spent by the Environment Agency on(a) flood protection and flood management and (b) coastal defence in (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03; and if she will place in the Library an analysis by project of each year's expenditure. [90629]

Margaret Beckett

[holding answer 14 January 2003]: Expenditure by the Environment Agency in England for managing flood risk from main rivers and the sea is:

£ 000s
2000–01(actual) 2001–02 (actual) 2002–03 (forecast)
259,462 307,771 349,128

I regret an analysis of the above by (a) flood protection and flood management and (b) coastal defence, together with an analysis by project of each year's expenditure, could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.