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12.49 am
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Elliot Morley): First, I congratulate the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) on obtaining this debate and on putting his case in such a persuasive way. I get all sorts of offers in this job, but to go to the hon. Gentleman's constituency and discuss these issues is an attractive offer. He has rightly made the points that, because of its wetlands, the area that he represents is of international importance, and that there are serious flood management issues.
I acknowledge his point that the Somerset levels have experienced regular flooding for some years--it is almost an annual occurrence. Although it is a flood plain, people live and work there, so we must strike a balance between the needs of an internationally important wetland and those of people in the area, who need to use its roads and who need to work there.
As the hon. Gentleman pointed out in a previous debate, I gave strong encouragement to local people who were working together to try to address some of the issues and some of the long-standing and potential conflicts between the demands of conservation and those of local people and of agriculture. I am glad that a meeting was held on 30 October and I welcome the high-level conference in February. They represent attempts to make progress on those matters.
I have read some of the submissions made by local organisations--the National Farmers Union, the Country Landowners Association, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Environment Agency. Those organisations are finding common ground and coming to a common agreement on dealing with the issues. I strongly endorse the point made by the hon. Gentleman that the approach to flood and water management in Somerset must be integrated, holistic and sustainable. That is the key objective that we must work towards.
I welcome the development of management catchment plans. I pay tribute to Humphrey Temperley, the chair of Somerset county council, and to the Somerset flood defence committee for their role in trying to develop those matters and find consensus. That is most important.
I accept the hon. Gentleman's point that we need to give some thought to such matters as the management of other catchments, land management, cropping and planting regimes, and river management. We need to examine whether river flows can be widened; the hon. Gentleman referred to meanders and the installation of baffles to try to hold back more water. We should perhaps consider a more sophisticated approach to water retention at times of peak flow. All those issues are worthy of consideration.
The importance of the area is recognised in the fact that the Somerset levels are designated as environmentally sensitive. As the hon. Gentleman is aware, there are different rates of payment in relation to management tiers for dealing with water management. That is a helpful advantage; it gives us an opportunity to consider how we can integrate more environmental management in the various agri-environment schemes for water management. I have to enter the caveat that agri-environment schemes must produce environmental outcomes. That is how we account for the schemes; they are audited both within the Government and by the European Union, which is ultimately responsible for them.
It should not be impossible, however, to take a more integrated and holistic approach towards agri-environment schemes while achieving both environmental outcomes and water catchment objectives. At present, the matter is being considered and discussed, but it has not been subject to major development. I am extremely interested in giving more thought to the matter, to find out what we can do to take it further. It represents a new dimension in water management, but it meets the need for an integrated, holistic and sustainable approach.
There are possibilities to be explored in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and in other Departments--for example, in MAFF in relation to our funds for agri-environment schemes and for flood defence. An integrated approach may not be as easy as it sounds, although the logic seems overwhelming, but I assure the hon. Gentleman that I am keen to explore such matters to see what can be done. In that respect, I shall be extremely interested in the outcome of the February meeting and to hear the suggestions of local people on how they might be applied. The Environment Agency is closely involved. There is technical support and advice on what is and is not feasible. That applies to any barrage proposal for the River Parrett.
I am happy to give the hon. Gentleman an undertaking to consider any proposal. Again, the caveat is that any proposal for an expensive scheme, such as a barrage, must be subject to exactly the same criteria as we would apply to any technical flood defence measure--it must meet technical and environmental standards and economic criteria. There has to be a cost-benefit analysis and such a scheme must meet the technical standard in achieving what it is designed to do. With that caveat, I am more than willing to consider any proposal and to test them against those criteria.
The hon. Gentleman is right to say that the funding of flood defences is complex and considerable demands have been made on resources in Somerset in recent years. MAFF has actively supported the Environment Agency and its predecessor in constructing flood defences in Somerset, which has enjoyed a high grant. There has been a high levy, but the higher the levy, the greater the grant that Somerset receives. During the past 20 years, approximately 20 km of defences has been improved to a 1:100 year standard or better. The Minehead sea defences scheme was completed in 1998, at a cost £12.7 million--a significant investment in Somerset.
We are giving attention to tidal and fluvial schemes. Given the recent autumn floods, we recognise the need to consider rivers in particular. We are providing exceptional support to emergency works on the River Parrett's banks this year. Two major schemes are planned for 2001 on the Lower Tone at Baltmoor wall--a £2 million scheme--and at Stanmoor bank, a £3 million scheme. The medium-term programme indicates expenditure of about £8.4 million during the next four years. The agency has set out the need for substantial increases in expenditure in Somerset to fund those new capital works and the increased maintenance that is also required. As the hon. Gentleman said, a significant increase in levies might be required in Somerset.
Somerset has been responsible in meeting its requirements on flood defence. In fact, it has been better than one or two other counties in the south-west, as the hon. Gentleman may be aware. I make no criticism of Somerset; it has taken the issue seriously and has not been
afraid to raise the appropriate levy. Of course it has been rewarded for doing so--it has received substantial grant aid from the Ministry.The necessary flood defences are being identified. When they have been identified, they will be addressed. The hon. Gentleman may be aware that MAFF has announced additional funding in relation to the autumn floods. An additional £51 million is available for flood defence works. That money comes on top of our existing programme, which was being increased. As a result of that additional money, we will be able to increase the grant rate for river flood defence schemes by 20 per cent. We are also providing additional funding for catchment studies, which will inform decisions on flood management on a catchment basis. The additional money for catchment studies may be useful given what may be the outcome of the high-level conference in February. We shall consider the issues that the hon. Gentleman has raised, such as upper catchment management, and whether we can apply them to a whole catchment plan. We have some funds to pay for those studies.
The hon. Gentleman is also right to say that the chairman of the Somerset local flood defence committee has written to me about the way in which the increases could be funded. He asked a series of complex questions on local government finance and the way in which the flood defence schemes are funded. They are complicated, but I appreciate the point. I can give the undertaking that I will reply to the questions as soon as possible, following consultation with my colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Such questions are not unfamiliar to me--one or two other local authorities have raised them. I see the logic in their case and I am willing to consider the matter. We are also undertaking a full review of the way in which funding is raised for flood defence schemes. That started before the present round of autumn flooding and is due to report in autumn 2001.
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman. I do not think that there is much between us on the issue. We both want a sustainable and holistic approach to flood management in Somerset. I am not afraid to consider new approaches. They have to be properly evaluated. Obviously, our professionals in the Ministry, who have years of experience, need to look into the matter. The specialists in the Environment Agency also need to consider it.
Given the pressures, however, with what may be a range of changes in weather patterns and increased rainfall, we must consider all the options. I am willing to do so and I certainly look forward to the outcome of discussions in local groups and organisations in the hon. Gentleman's constituency and area, which will provide an input into informed choices for the way forward.
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