---

Flooding

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals the Environment Agency has to alleviate flooding in the Ironbridge Gorge. [41428]

Mr. Morley: Operational responsibility for flood management measures rests with the local operating authorities, normally the Environment Agency (EA) and local councils, who decide which projects to promote and their timing. I understand that the EA has just completed a pre-feasibility study into 'traditional' flood alleviation options for Ironbridge Gorge but has not identified one that would be economically worthwhile. I understand that the EA is continuing to consider 'innovative' options which may offer some alleviation from the impact of small flooding events.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish the report on flood funding arrangements. [33899]

Mr. Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 512W.

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial assistance is made available by the European Union to assist member states in the provision of coastal and inland flood defences. [43599]

Mr. Morley: No significant financial assistance is made available by the European Union to assist member states in the provision of flood and coastal defences.

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to secure provision of flood risk cover for residential properties after February 2003. [42959]

Mr. Morley: The Government are maintaining close links with the insurance industry to help achieve the mutual aim of ensuring the continued availability of affordable flood cover as widely as possible after the end of the year. Ministers and officials in the Treasury and DEFRA have already held several meetings with the Association of British Insurers and further discussions are planned.

Together with the flood defence operating authorities, we are reducing the risk of flooding and are communicating this to the insurance industry. We are reducing the risk through substantial increases in investment in flood and coastal defences (which now totals over £400 million a year). Flood defences are being repaired, renewed, maintained and improved. Flood warning arrangements are continually being improved. The Government have issued strengthened guidance to local planning authorities on control of development in flood risk areas, and are reviewing the financial and institutional arrangements under which the flood defence service is delivered.

18 Mar 2002 : Column 136W

We are working with the Environment Agency in helping develop a shared understanding with the insurance industry of the true risks of flooding in particular areas, taking account not only of the indicative flood plain but also the current and future provision of flood defences.

Farming and Food

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funds will be provided for the implementation of the Farming and Food report. [41354]

Mr. Morley: We are currently assessing the financial implications of taking forward the Policy Commission's recommendations. Decisions on the funding to be made available to implement the recommendations that fall to Government will, in the main, be made as part of the 2002 Spending Review. It would not be appropriate to prejudge the Spending Review settlement, which is expected in July, but the Department will want to target resources to achieve the best most cost effective outcome.

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timescale will be for implementing the recommendations of the Farming and Food report. [41353]

Mr. Morley: The Commission's report will make a substantial contribution to a new strategy for sustainable food and farming, which we aim to launch in the autumn. We will work with a wide range of stakeholders to determine how best to take forward the Commission's ideas and deliver positive changes on the ground. As responsibility for addressing the Commission's recommendations rests with industry and other organisations as well as Government, we will be looking for their active involvement. Before Easter we will publish a steering document which will inform and guide this and launch the stakeholder engagement process.

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the interests registered by the (a) chairman and (b) members of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Foods. [42252]

Mr. Morley: Registered interests of the chairman and members of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food are as listed. They can also be found on the website www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/farming. The list registers interests relevant to the work of the Commission.
Sir Donald Curry CBE
Remunerated work and directorships
Vice-chairman (non-executive), NFU Mutual Insurance Co Ltd.
Commissioner, Crown Estate
Chairman (non-executive), North Country Primestock
Director (non-executive), Scottish Agricultural College
Director (non-executive), Chitty Food Groups
Land, property and shareholdings
Owner, residential properties in Newcastle and Rothbury, Northumberland
Shareholder, BT
Shareholder, Friends Provident
Shareholder, Tyne Grain
Shareholder, North Country Primestock
Shareholder, Hexham Auction Market

18 Mar 2002 : Column 137W

Other interests
Chair (non-executive), At Home in the Community
Council Member,
Royal Agricultural Society of England
Member, National Farmers' Union
Member, Farmers' Club
Helen Browning OBE
Remunerated work and directorships
Director, Eastbrook Farms Organic Pigs Ltd.
Director, Eastbrook Farms Organic Meat Ltd.
Director, Food Ethics Council
Consultancy, Meat and Livestock Commission
Consultancy, Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission
Consultancy, Sustainable Development Commission
Speaking fees from various organisations principally on organic farming and marketing.
Land, property and shareholdings
33 per cent. of Manor Farm, East Grafton, Wiltshire
Shareholder, Dairy Crest
Shareholder, Genus Ltd.
Shareholder, Organic Milk Suppliers' Co-operative
Shareholder, Friends Provident
Eligible producer, Residuary Milk Marketing Board.
Other interests
Chair, Soil Association
Chair, Food Ethics Council
Member, Royal Agricultural Society of England
Member, Country Land and Business Association
Member, Tenant Farmers' Association
Member, Farm and Wildlife Advisory Group
Member, the Farmers' Club
Member, Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Member, Schumacher Society
Member, Institute of Directors
Member, National Federation for the Self-Employed.
Sir Peter Davis
Remunerated work
Chief executive, J Sainsbury plc
Board Director, Union Bank of Switzerland
Land, property and shareholdings
(with Lady Davis) properties in Hertfordshire, London and France
(with Lady Davis) trustees of a family trust that owns a property in North Wales
Shareholder and share option-holder, J Sainsbury plc.
Other interests
Chairman, Business in the Community
Member and trustee, Trearddur Bay Sailing Club
Vice president, Marketing Council
Vice president, Chartered Institute of Marketing
Fellow, Marketing Society
Member, Agricultural Forum
Member, Policy Issues Group, Institute of Grocery Distribution
Member, Garrick Club
Iain Ferguson QC
Remunerated interests
Senior vice-president, Corporate Development, Unilever plc/NV

18 Mar 2002 : Column 138W

Land, property and shareholdings
Owner, property in Guildford, Surrey
Shareholder, BT
Shareholder, BG
Shareholder, Lattice
Shareholder, BAE Systems
Shareholder, Marconi
Shareholder, GlaxoSmithKline
Shareholder, Cable & Wireless
Shareholder, Lloyds TSB
Shareholder, ATL plc
Shareholder, HBOS plc
Shareholder, Unilever plc
Shareholder, Unilever NV
Other interests
Director, British Nutrition Foundation
Director, Food and Drink Federation
Director, Rothamsted Research Station
Member, the Farmers' Club
Member, the Caledonian Club
Deirdre Hutton CBE
Remunerated work
Chair, National Consumer Council
Vice-chair, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
Non-executive director, Financial Services Authority
Commissioner, Sustainable Development Commission
Land, property and shareholdings
Shares in Sainsburys
Shares in Tesco
Shares in Unilever
Other interests
Member, Better Regulation Task Force
DeAnne Julius
Remunerated work
Non-executive director, Bank of England
Non-executive director, Lloyd's TSB (from 1 October 2001)
Member, National Learning and Skills Council
Land, property and shareholdings
Owner, house in Surrey and apartment in Verbier (Switzerland)
Shareholdings (through mutual funds and directly) in the following companies:
BTG; British Airways; Shell; Pearson; United Business Media
Other interests
Visiting Professor, University of Durham
Member, Royal Institute of International Affairs
Member, Institute of Development Studies
Member, Royal Economic Society
Member, Advisory Board, Centre for the study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, Warwick University
Fiona Reynolds CBE
Remunerated work and directorships
Director-General, National Trust
Other interests
Trustee, Green Alliance
Trustee, Institute for European Environmental Policy
Vice-President, Council for National Parks
Governor, Canterbury Primary School

18 Mar 2002 : Column 139W

Mark Tinsley
Remunerated work and directorships
Managing director of P.C. Tinsley Ltd.
Chairman, Elgro Ltd.
Chairman, Nene Potatoes Ltd.
Non-executive director, Greens of Soham Ltd.
Non-executive director, Freshtime UK Ltd.
Non-executive director, Winters Lane Storage Ltd.
Land, property and shareholdings
Shareholder of P. C. Tinsley Ltd., farming 500ha in Lincolnshire Shareholder of Spearhead International Ltd.
Shareholder (through P. C. Tinsley Ltd.) in the following companies:
Elgro Ltd.; Holbeach Marsh Co-operative Ltd.; Nene Potatoes Ltd.; Agricultural Central Trading Ltd.
Other interests
Member, Boston Tennis Club
Member (through P. C. Tinsley Ltd.) of the following organisations:
LEAF Assured Produce; Assured Combinable Crops; National Farmers' Union
Political interests
Member, Conservative party
Member, Commercial Farmers' Group
David Varney
Remunerated work and directorships
Chairman, mmO ₂ plc
Lattice pension
Land, property and shareholdings
Owner, residential property in Bourne End, Bucks.
Shareholder, Anglo American plc
Shareholder, Astra Zeneca plc
Shareholder, Barclays plc
Shareholder, British Land Company plc
Shareholder, BOC group
Shareholder, CGNU plc
Shareholder, Compass Group plc
Shareholder, Cable & Wireless plc
Shareholder, Diageo plc
Shareholder, Granada Compass plc
Shareholder, GlaxoSmithKline plc
Shareholder, Hays plc
Shareholder, 3I group plc
Shareholder, Marks & Spencer plc
Shareholder, Nycomed Amersham plc
Shareholder, Provident Financial plc
Shareholder, Royal Bank of Scotland plc
Shareholder, Railtrack plc
Shareholder, Tesco plc
Shareholder, Vodafone plc
Shareholder, Lattice Group plc
Shareholder, Shell Transport

18 Mar 2002 : Column 140W

Other interests
Vice chairman, Council of Surrey University
Vice president, Oil Industry Club
Trustee, Bright Red Dot Foundation
Member, Royal Automobile Club
Member, Institute of Directors
Member, Chairman's Club
Member, Institute of Energy
Member, Institute of Petroleum
Member, Institute of Gas Engineers
Member, Institute of Management
Member, Institute of Personnel & Development
Member, Advisory Committee, DEMOS
Graham Wynne
Remunerated interests
Chief Executive, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Other interests
Member, Sustainable Development Commission
Trustee, BirdLife International.

---