Future Flood Prevention

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The evidence that the Committee took, and what we heard from ...

Will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to flood wardens? Earby, in my constituency, was ba...

My hon. Friend is right. Local authorities, the Environment Agency and the drainage boards can do...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that as we think about how we ought to spend our farming subsidies ...

I think the hon. Lady must have X-ray sight, because the next paragraph of my notes refers to how...

I am listening with great interest to my hon. Friend’s speech. Is he familiar with the practice u...

My hon. Friend makes an important point. If we are going to allow water to go out on to land in o...

As my hon. Friend knows, we had severe flooding in the Ribble valley and throughout Lancashire in...

My hon. Friend makes a good point, because it is not just about planting the trees; it is also ab...

My hon. Friend is talking about soil, and I cannot let the moment pass without intervening to str...

My hon. Friend will also be very aware that many fields only have so much topsoil on them, and it...

A lot of house building is going on in Whalley in my constituency, and one of the conditions was ...

My hon. Friend makes another good point. Planning conditions can be flouted, and they are sometim...

Does the hon. Gentleman share my disappointment that many of the things in this very useful repor...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. We have tried to ensure that the report is not party polit...

The report states that firefighters provide a vital “first-line service” to flooded areas. Does t...

The hon. Lady makes a good point. I think the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Jim Fitzpatri...

My hon. Friend is making an impassioned speech. Does he recognise the work of the Environment Age...

I welcome the Environment Agency’s work on the Medway, where the water can move quite quickly. If...

Order. Before I call Mary Creagh to speak, I should say that twice the number of Members wish to ...

I rise to speak on behalf of the Environmental Audit Committee, which has published a report on f...

I hope my hon. Friend shares my disappointment at the slow rate of progress. The adaptation measu...

There has been some progress, but we need to move much further and faster as the scale and nature...

Does my hon. Friend share my concern that it was found that when the floods hit Cumbria and other...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. She has joined me on the Environmental Audit Committee, and h...

Let me point out that we have increased our budget, not cut it.

The coalition Government in 2010—I know that the hon. Lady was not a Minister then—cut the flood ...

Has the hon. Lady taken a cursory glance at the other report we are discussing, which asserts tha...

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: there is market failure in these areas. Businesses are en...

A few businesses in my area have been hit. One of them is relatively small, but it has been hit a...

It is important that we do not end up with every taxpayer subsidising the private sector. The Gov...

The financing of flood defences is of absolutely paramount importance to my constituents, as my b...

My interest in the issue of flooding started in 2007, when South Yorkshire was badly flooded. Of ...

I took part in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee flood prevention inquiry and was...

Order. May I just remind hon. Members that the guidance on time limits for speeches is six minute...

It is a real pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Taunton Deane (Rebecca Pow). I found what she...

I start by thanking the Government for listing this estimates day debate so conveniently—it follo...

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute, and I am pleased to follow the hon. Member for L...

Does my hon. Friend share my suspicion that the Government’s refusal to create a statutory duty f...

My hon. Friend perfectly anticipates my next point. I was about to quote a statistic to demonstra...

Some 453 residential properties and 174 commercial properties in York were flooded following stor...

This debate follows major inquiries into the social, economic and environmental impact of floodin...

To follow on from the words of my hon. Friend the Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ros...

Order. I am afraid that, as I think the hon. Gentleman knows, that is not in order. I ask him to ...

I was not here the last time the estimates were discussed. Am I not allowed to discuss the figure...

Today we are specifically discussing flood prevention, not what is in the book to which the hon. ...

Needless to say, we will be taking these points to the appropriate arena, when done.

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Will you give some clarification? The title of the mot...

Yes, if the hon. Gentleman looks again at the Order Paper, he will see that the notes below—which...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

In common with many Members, I represent a constituency th...

This has been a really interesting debate. It was admirably opened by the hon. Member for Tiverto...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton and Honiton (Neil Parish) on opening the de...

House building in areas such as mine will add to the flooding problem. Will the Minister press th...

I recently met my right hon. Friend to discuss that matter. I also met several other people who h...

Will the Minister look at the major builders, such as Redrow? They connect new homes into the sys...

The hon. Lady speaks with passion on this matter because it has affected properties in her consti...

I am pleased to hear about those representations to the DCLG. Will the Minister also make represe...

Councils are expected to do that for developments of 10 homes or more, and I hope that the hon. L...

rose—

I will not give way because I need to make progress and to discuss other important matters to whi...

I recognise that the Government do not intend to move on this matter this instant, but does the M...

I am cognisant of the fact that, certainly in my own area, there are fewer firefighters than ther...

The Minister asked for examples. Topcliffe Mill in my constituency is a development of 12 apartme...

The point about leasehold properties is that they tend to be owned by the freehold or management ...

Will the Minister give way?

I will not.

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman is aware that the Procedure Committee is unde...

I welcome the fact that the Minister has asked the Environment Agency to talk less and do more, w...