§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what proposed timetable she has been given for the Parrett sluice; [161885]
(2) what recent submissions she has received concerning the Parrett Catchment Project. [161886]
§ Mr. MorleyWe have not been given a timetable for the Parrett Sluice.
The Environment Agency are currently investigating and developing options for flood risk mitigation in Bridgewater. Until all options have been evaluated it will not be possible to propose a valid timetable for the Parrett Sluice.
1304WAs to submissions, we received a report on the Parrett Catchment Project in January 2003. Most recently, the Parrett Catchment Project submitted a response to each of the three phases of public consultation run as part of the agri-environment schemes review, a major review of agri-environment schemes in England. In their most recent submission, dated 8 December 2003, they welcomed the inclusion of flood management as a secondary objective of the new Higher Level Scheme that will replace the current Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes; and made a series of detailed comments on the options. We are still evaluating these.