Mr Redwood’s intervention during the Statement on Flooding, 10 February

Mr John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con): As the two main A roads from my constituency into Reading have been closed by floods, and as many homes, businesses and gardens have been inundated, sometimes with foul as well as surface water, will my right hon. Friend assure me that, in future, the £1,200 million budget and the near £100 million cash that the Environment Agency started the year with will be available for schemes that I and others recommend which could stop that water in future? Is it not about time that we had the promise of some action from the Environment Agency?

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles): We need to deal with the short-term effects of the floods given what is likely to happen over the next few weeks, but my right hon. Friend makes a reasonable point—it is not just the size of the Environment Agency budget, but what it does with it and what priorities it has. I am sure that, as the water recedes, there will be a lot of discussion between the Government and the Environment Agency.

1 Comment

  1. BobE
    February 12, 2014

    Cant they start a the rivers estuary and trench back towards the source. Dump the soil on each side. Is it so difficult!!

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