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Pitt Report

I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and repeat my thanks to Sir Michael Pitt and his team for the excellent work that they have done. I also commend the work of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack), who has made a useful contribution on these issues. The Secretary of State is entirely right to acknowledge the human cost of flooding. I am sure that the whole House will wish to send condolences to the family and friends of those two people who tragically lost their lives over the weekend. Anyone who has met people whose homes and businesses have been destroyed by floods knows only too well that there is often a lasting, less visible, but none the less real, emotional impact on top of the physical disruption that people suffer. Some things, such as personal possessions, simply cannot be replaced by insurance. Can the Secretary of State confirm that hundreds of people are facing a second Christmas out of their homes as a result of the floods of 2007? Why have the Government not published monthly summaries of the number of households displaced, as Pitt recommended? Is it because they are embarrassed about the rate of progress? There are, of course, aspects of this statement which we welcome, particularly the establishment of the national flood forecasting centre, which seems an eminently sensible way to proceed. I cannot help but observe, however, that progress in this area is glacially slow. After three years of announcements and statements of good intentions, our country is still acutely vulnerable to flood risk. The number of homes at risk from flooding has increased by 20 per cent. in the space of a few years. Some 43 per cent. of flood defence projects have been delayed, and more than half are not in their target condition. Additionally, 6 per cent. of hospitals, 15 per cent. of ambulance and fire stations and 15 per cent. of power stations are at risk from flooding. When will the natural hazards team, which is responsible for identifying risks to national infrastructure, complete its assessment? Is it not extraordinary in view of the risks involved that that work has not already been done? I have to say that the Government's approach to this issue has been lackadaisical. In 2005, the Government knew that there was a problem and promised to put it right. Then they announced that the Environment Agency needed to have the strategic overview of flooding. Today it seems that local authorities will be made responsible. There is still uncertainty about who is in charge. We know the gravity of the risk, and have a wealth of recommendations on how to move forward. Pitt called for strong national leadership if his recommendations were to be implemented. Since when was dithering a feature of strong national leadership? Can the Secretary of State confirm that all of Pitt's urgent recommendations have been implemented? Does he agree that his statement is no substitute for legislation? The Pitt report called for a ““rapid implementation”” of the floods and water Bill. Will he confirm that, as a result of his announcement today, there is no real chance that the floods and water Bill will make it on to the statute books before the next general election? There is a sense that the Government are shunting the problem away, beyond the next election, on to local authorities. I note, however, that the Secretary of State has announced additional funding for local authorities, which must be welcome. Can he confirm where that money is coming from? Climate change will only increase the frequency and severity of flooding. As the Stern review pointed out:"““Adaptation is the only response available for the impacts that will occur over the next several decades before mitigation measures can have an effect.””" My chief concern today is the slow progress that the Government are making in their response to these urgent issues. Finally, some 2.3 million homes are at risk of flooding. It is essential that we do not add to that number, so will the Secretary of State join me in calling for a clear presumption against building on floodplains?