Memorandum submitted by the Rt Hon John
Redwood MP (FL MP 10)
Thank you for the invitation I recently received
from Michael Jack MP to help frame the terms of reference for
the floods inquiry. I think the inquiry should include the following
issues:
1. Why were so many of the flood defences,
ditches, culverts and land drains in poor order, whether owned
and maintained by the Environment Agency or by others under the
supervision of the Agency?
2. What could be done to ensure all drains,
ditches, culverts and flood defences are in future maintained
to a higher standard?
3. Why did so many recently constructed properties
flood? How can the planning process (including on appeal) be improved
to take flood risk seriously, so that flood plain applications
are either turned down or have conditions attached to improve
drainage to prevent flooding?
4. Which new flood preventions projects should
take priority from here to give more protection to families? In
my area the Maidenhead project in place worked, but there has
been no attempt to handle regular flooding from the River Loddon
between the M4 and the Berkshire/Hampshire border.
Rt Hon John Redwood MP
Wokingham
August 2007
|
