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Flooding (Northumberland)

Certainly the Environment Agency will examine incidents of flooding wherever they occur, and will obviously want to learn lessons and determine strategies to see what can be done to avoid flooding in future. The right hon. Gentleman mentioned a range of areas that might be, or were, flooded. Clearly, the Environment Agency will have to look at the experience of the north-east, and Northumberland in particular, as a result of September's rains. Although substantial flooding did occur in parts of the north-east in September, it is important to remember the many flood defence systems that were not breached, despite the very heavy rain. I referred to a number of them earlier. Many properties were saved from damage in Bishop Auckland and West Auckland—places that I know well from my childhood—where completion of a dam at Spring Gardens held back flood water above the town at a height of 8.5 m; that seems an incredible height. In Hexham, at Cockshaw burn and Halgut burn, the combination of a new engineered channel and flood diversion pipe operated to take flood water away from the centre of the town. The Environment Agency is responsible for maintaining and repairing flood defences, including the installation of temporary defences where needed. During the past year it has inspected 180,000 assets and carried out work that now means that 95 per cent. are serviceable and will perform as designed during a flood event. The Environment Agency spent £377 million building and maintaining flood defences in England, as well as raising public awareness through greatly improved flood mapping and warning systems. More generally, our work to improve preparedness against flooding is ongoing and although we must recognise that we can never eliminate the risk of flooding, we are determined to improve our ability to reduce the impact of flooding. The Government are increasing investment and we will see a record £2.15 billion invested over the next three-year period. As I said, we will never be able to eradicate the threat, but I am encouraged that the events of September demonstrate the preparedness and professionalism of those charged with responding at every level. I am not complacent, but I believe that we are better able to respond to the threat. Question put and agreed to.