Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to limit the damage to local communities and economies from flooding.

Rory Stewart

We are investing an unprecedented £2.3 billion in 1,500 flood defence improvement schemes over the next six years. This will provide better protection to at least 300,000 households, up to 420,000 acres of agricultural land, over 200 miles of railway and 340 miles of roads.

In addition, flood maintenance spending will be protected in real terms over this Parliament.

Over the five years of the last Parliament, our flood defences schemes have better protected over 255,000 households.

This is on top of the £1.7 billion invested in the last Parliament and the £1.5 billion spent between 2006 and 2010.