New funds to increase flood protections
July 9, 2007
The new Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, has made a statement to Parliament confirming an increase in spending by the Government on flood risk management and flood defences, with spending due to rise from around £600 million in 2007 to £800 million by the end of the Comprehensive Spending Review period of 2010/11.
In the statement, made on 2 July 2007, Mr Benn said the Government had always recognised the need to spend more on flood defence with changes in climate.
Mr Benn said there had been increases in spending on flood risk management and defences from £307 million in 1996/97 to £600 million in 2007.
He added that the Government intended to further increase spending on flood risk management and defences to £800 million in 2010/11.
In the statement, Mr Benn also paid tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services, local authorities, the voluntary sector, the military and the Environment Agency, describing their collective response as "magnificent".
With yet more heavy rain forecast, he encouraged householders and businesses to make use of the Environment Agency’s Floodline telephone number and website for advice.
The Enviroment Agency’s Floodline telephone number is: 08459 881188.
The Government has been criticised for the amount it has invested in the country's anti-flood defences, despite repeated warnings from scientists that such occurrences will be more and more common in future.
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