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Pitt Report

I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend's statement. I am sure he will recall that last year in both Barnsley and Doncaster in my constituency 5,000 homes were affected as a direct consequence of the bursting of the banks of the Rivers Dove, Dearne and Don. I certainly welcome the greater role local authorities will now play in flood alleviation, in the hope that they will be able to provide a more rapid response. However, will my right hon. Friend also look at trying to tap into the willing support from parish and town councils for their bigger metropolitan district councils in terms of methods flood alleviation, even if it is only to provide more flood warnings?