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Flood and Water Management Bill

Without going through the Bill clause by clause and itemising the words I cannot reply in full to the noble Baroness. However, we have a plethora of amendments which identify the relative powers and where the boundaries are drawn. We will certainly clarify these issues during our debates in Committee. I know that the noble Baroness has the closest possible historical and current associations with the city of Birmingham, but we are not including it within the framework of a coastal authority. However, as the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, said, a local authority will be involved in the coastal risk position, although the Environment Agency has greater responsibilities than it may have. I have a brief description that may help the noble Baroness, but I am shying away from going through every clause that identifies the relationship. However, the Bill provides for lead local authorities—counties or unitary authorities—to be responsible for the surface run-off, groundwater and minor water courses. Responsibility for coastal erosion remains with the maritime districts—not Birmingham, as far as I know. I know that Birmingham stretches on water as far as Elan Valley, which is fairly deep into Wales, but it does not stretch to the coast. The Environment Agency retains its responsibility for that crucial aspect: coastal erosion. That is the best I can do for the time being, but we will clarify these issues. The noble Lord, Lord Taylor, and other noble Lords will make sure that we do that in our deliberations.