§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's total spending was in each of the last three years on flood defence projects. [184944]
§ Mr. MorleyIn the years under consideration, Defra provided grant aid as a percentage of eligible costs to the flood and coastal defence operating authorities the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities and internal drainage boards—to assist with improvement works and studies to manage flood and coastal erosion risk. Grant aid was also made to the EA to assist towards the cost of national initiatives (such as the national flood and coastal defence database, flood warning public awareness and catchment flood408W
research lead by Risk and Policy Analysts Ltd. has identified the average value of health and stress due to flooding at £200 per household per year for those in high risk areas.There have been many studies of the value of other environmental impacts, including a current study by the University of East Anglia that will report in 2005 on the functional value of wetlands. Current Defra guidance suggests that appropriate water level management for wetlands can have a benefit of between £175 and £300 per hectare per year. In the latest national assessments these figures were used to quantify environmental benefits from increased flooding of some lower grade agricultural land.
The above are included in current Defra guidance to operating authorities for project appraisal purposes.