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Flood and Water Management Bill

I was not going to speak, but as this is likely to be our last day in Committee on the Bill, I would like to support the amendments of my noble friends, particularly on costs. The noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, encourages us to push ahead regardless, and thinks that there is sufficient money around. We find ourselves in a slightly open-ended position. Defra has suggested that it will be time-limited and that the whole issue will need to be revisited in eight years’ time. Surely, we should not just address the short term. We all agree that the sooner SUDS is in place the better—but it would be irresponsible of this Committee not to consider what my noble friends have moved, and question how this will be funded, both in the first instance and in the longer term. That is what made me rise to my feet. The local government briefing to us all stated that authorities are concerned about funding. With ever-increasing costs and many different demands on local government provisions, it is important that this vital new scheme, which places great responsibilities and costs on local authorities, should be clarified, and not just in the short term. I hope that the Minister will be able to take us further down that path, rather than saying that it will be five or eight years, because it would be very unsatisfactory to leave it in its current position.