Andrew Smith (Oxford East, Labour) | Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of levels of provision of training of flood defence and drainage engineers to ensure sufficient trained engineers in the future.

Phil Woolas (Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Oldham East & Saddleworth, Labour) | Hansard source

holding answer 10 July 2008

We commissioned a comprehensive report on Engineering Skills for Flood Risk Management from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), which was produced in October 2004. This followed the ICE's review floods of the autumn 2000 floods.

The Environment Agency has had a capacity plan since May 2004 and a three year strategy to address the civil engineering skills shortage since August 2005. The Environment Agency also operate a Foundation Degree in Science for River and Coastal Engineering and have a new Graduate Training Programme. These are both supported by national recruitment campaigns.

The Environment Agency is currently reviewing its skills and capacity strategy in the light of various reports following the summer 2007 floods.