The question is whether we have the right guidance for the planning authorities, and that is why we tightened the planning guidance and then tightened it again—the most recent form is PPS25. Secondly, we have ensured that the Environment Agency, which is the expert, has to be consulted on applications. Thirdly, Ministers have the right to call applications in. We are sitting on a floodplain as we have this debate, and 2 million homes are built on a floodplain. The question is whether appropriate steps can be taken to defend those properties. Ultimately, the answer lies with the planning authorities that choose to give or deny permission and the framework that we have put in place is clear about their responsibilities.
DEFRA does have extra resources and we are investing them in flood defences. Together with the Department for International Development, we will invest in the international environmental transformation fund, aimed at protecting the environment and the rain forest in the developing world.
The extra resources will also help to pay for the launch of the green homes service, which will help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes, and build on the 1.4 million households that have received money and other support since June 2000 to improve energy efficiency.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Proceeding contribution from
Hilary Benn
(Labour)
in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 4 December 2007.
It occurred during Opposition day on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
468 c763-4 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
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Timestamp
2023-12-16 00:38:05 +0000
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