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Flooding (Morpeth)

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that intervention. I agree with him, and it is a subject I intend to tackle in more detail later. I have been hugely impressed by the voluntary sector and council officials in Morpeth. Apart from the long-term contingencies, there is an increasing need for emotional and psychological support, which will have an even greater impact as people are unable to return to their homes for Christmas. It is important that the agencies responsible are able to identify and respond effectively to a need once it is identified. Additionally, there is a need to lift morale throughout the period of recovery. I am delighted to say that there appears to be no increase in criminal activity. However, there is genuine concern that household possessions kept on the first floors of houses in housing estates that are virtually deserted overnight could be at risk. The police are currently providing additional patrols in the affected areas, and I ask the Minister to press for the continuation of these much needed patrols. I mentioned earlier the large number of properties that were not insured. Flood damage repair and renovation to an insured property could be severely compromised if it is adjoining an uninsured property with similar levels of severe damage. There is no doubt that severe financial hardship is being experienced by everyone affected by the flooding, but especially those people who are not insured. Unfortunately, many of the main public buildings were badly affected by flood damage. Morpeth library was immensely popular and well used by many residents. So severe was the damage that it will probably have to be demolished. It is therefore essential that a new library is built as soon as possible. The leisure centre suffered similar damage, but no decision has yet been made about its future. However, one thing is certain: it will be closed for a long time. The same applies to the doctors' surgery and the ambulance station. I have tried to outline briefly the extensive damage that the huge flood did to the town of Morpeth. I am here to seek Government support to help to rebuild the town and, more important, to ensure that we do everything possible to prevent a similar occurrence. The Environment Agency has been heavily criticised for its failure to warn the residents of Middle Greens of the impending flood. That criticism was fully justified, but we need to ensure that the early warning system never fails again. The agency has assured me that the changes it has introduced will guarantee that everyone is informed in future. I also urge residents who are not registered to register now—it is a free service. I have met the agency's new chairman Lord Smith to press for early implementation of a new flood defence scheme for Morpeth. He has agreed to visit Morpeth in the next few weeks and he is keen to move forward quickly with the scheme. The economic assessment is almost complete, and it is intended to consult the people of Morpeth on the options available no later than next January. The agency intends to run several items in parallel to enable it to commence the scheme several months earlier than originally planned. I am delighted to say that funding no longer appears to be a problem. In the next few weeks, work will commence on rebuilding a much stronger flood wall to replace the one damaged near the library. Urgent structural assessments will take place of all the various flood defences in the town and of the damaged weir at Highford. The agency is also considering my request, which residents affected by the floods put to me, to begin river bed dredging and clearance. There is a strong economic case for the scheme, which could bring huge investment to Morpeth. A new flood defence scheme would release valuable riverside land for redevelopment to complement the current town centre development. A new health centre, providing state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, has been under discussion for more than two years. We should accelerate that development and include a new library on the site. If it proves necessary to demolish the leisure centre, consideration should be given to building a new one, perhaps on a new site. There are many other options—I merely make the point that enormous opportunity exists for the town and we need to maximise it. While local business and commerce has been badly affected, 1,000 properties require extensive building works, new furniture and decoration. At a time of building slump, that could help many local businesses. I hope that people source those services locally, and of course we must endeavour to keep out the cowboy builders. I was impressed with the Government response during and immediately after the flooding. I was contacted by the duty Minister—the then Minister for the Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas)—from 10 Downing street at 9 pm on the Saturday evening to warn me that Morpeth had been badly flooded. I was on holiday in Dorset and I returned home immediately. On Sunday morning, I was called again, this time by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn), who inquired about the extent of the damage and sent his best wishes to the people of Morpeth. I spoke to him and the Minister responsible for flood recovery, my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey), who said that he wished to visit. He did so the next day. The people of Morpeth also received a much-needed boost in the form of a royal visit by Prince Charles and his wife. They were accompanied by the Minister for the North East of England, my right hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend (Mr. Brown), whom I am delighted to see in his place today. He has done a great deal to help me and the people of Morpeth. By any standards, it was a great response. I hope that my right hon. Friend the Minister will, in her response to the debate, show the same concern for Morpeth and assist its speedy recovery. Morpeth needs urgent funding in the form of Bellwin. It also needs another £600,000 to try to assist the local authority with the expenditure that it has already incurred. I will provide my right hon. Friend with the detailed breakdown of that expenditure. Castle Morpeth council is a very small local authority; its chief executive Ken Dunbar, his deputy Trevor Walker and all its employees have performed remarkably. They are conducting an inquiry into the flood, and it is essential that all agencies co-operate with it. Their hard work, skill and dedication have been exemplary. They deserve our thanks and recognition for their excellent work during the flooding and for their ongoing work since then. I urge my hon. Friend the Minister to ensure that the necessary funding is in place for them to continue it. The voluntary sector also performed exceptionally well. The Red Cross has been invaluable, as have the Lions and the Rotary club, which are raising a large sum of money to assist flood victims. The citizens advice bureau is under increasing strain, but understandably has to deal with many more cases. I request that the Government make a direct donation to the voluntary services in and around Morpeth to enable them and others to continue helping the people of the area. In conclusion, the events at Morpeth on that terrible September weekend were both dramatic and dangerous. That no lives were lost is down to the skill and dedication of the emergency services and of many Morpeth residents—and, of course, some good luck. The Environment Agency's decision to commence an early flood defence system means that it will probably not happen again. Morpeth needs all the help the Government can provide to help with rebuilding and regeneration. I hope that the Minister will confirm in her reply that that help will be made available.