HOLMES CHALLENGES MINISTER OVER SLOW PACE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR FLOOD PROTECTION IN CHESTERFIELD

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Jun 2008

This afternoon Paul Holmes questioned Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs during his Statement in the House of Commons on the newly published report of Sir Michael Pitt, on last summers flooding.

Paul told the House of Commons that;

"Three rivers (the Rother Hipper and Whitting), flooded in Chesterfield last summer with the Rother and the Hipper being mainly responsible for flooding nearly 500 houses. Plans had quickly been drawn up for the building of flood defences to prevent the Rother and the Hipper flooding again. The Environment Agency, however, has told public meetings in Chesterfield that even when new money became available in 2010, there was no guarantee that Chesterfield would get money as it had to compete with other flood areas for scarce resources."

"What could the Minister say to Chesterfield residents" asked Paul, " about how long they would have to wait to see their flood defences built. Three years, six years, nine years?"

The Minister's answer was that it was up to the Environment Agency to prioritise its funding, not him. Speaking afterwards Paul said:

"This is simply not acceptable. The Minister ignored the fact that it was the lack of adequate Government funding that would prevent all urgently needed flood defences being built promptly. These Rivers have all flooded before and will do again unless the Government invests in defence works. Meanwhile Labour's advice to my constituents is 'cross your fingers and hope it does not rain hard again!' This Ostrich like head in the sand approach is appalling -especially on the first anniversary of last years floods."