Catchment Flood Management Plans

HL Deb 08 October 2003 vol 653 c57WA

Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In relation to Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food, whether the five pilot catchment flood management plans are in place; and, if so, when the first progress report is due.[HL4446]

Lord Whitty

Due to technical difficulties with the availability of appropriate ground elevation models, there has been a delay in the catchment flood management plan (CFMP) programme. So far only one of the five pilots has published a plan (for the River Parrett in Somerset) and Defra officials have been discussing with the Environment Agency the extent to which this meets the agreed guidelines.

At least one further CFMP pilot is nearing completion and we hope that a further draft plan will be published before the end of the year. In the meantime the Environment Agency is progressing a number of catchment inception studies in preparation for the start of the main CFMP programme which will be initiated as soon as the results of the pilots have been consolidated into final guidance.