Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by James Duddridge (Conservative). It was answered on Thursday, 2 November 2006 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Water Supplies and Sewerage

Question: Given the Government’s plans to build in the Thames Gateway, what assessment has the Minister made of water needs in the region?

Answer: My Department, along with the Environment Agency, works closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government on all the Thames Gateway plans, and we have worked with DCLG very closely indeed on the new growth point announcements. It is important that we ensure close co-operation between the Government and the relevant agencies so that appropriate action is taken if there is a risk of flooding or water shortages. Those measures have been put in place by the Government, and we will continue to scrutinise any proposed new developments to make sure that a water supply is available and to minimise the flood risk.

Secondary information