Stormy waters for [floods] bill

23 September 2009

An influential group of MPs has criticised the government's draft Flood and Water Management Bill, calling it 'a confusing mix of measures, many of them poorly drafted'.

Today's comments in an Efra Select Committee report echo a number of points already highlighted by the NFU - including the administrative burden for those with small on-farm reservoirs and the potential impact on the effectiveness of Internal Drainage Boards.

During the Bill's consultation period, the NFU also raised concerns about the new roles and responsibilities for flood risk management, in particular the strategic overview role given to the Environment Agency, and the local flood leadership responsibilities that are assigned to local authorities.

The NFU has always maintained that more needs to be done to prevent severe flooding in rural areas. The draft Bill follows Sir Michael Pitt's review of the events of 2007, when floodwaters overwhelmed urban and rural communities alike and caused untold damage to farming businesses.

NFU comment

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said: "We are pleased the Efra Select Committee has listened to our concerns and that it has made recommendations to reflect these. There is a strong sense of disconnection between the Environment Agency and those on the ground who are affected by flooding and we believe that there has been inadequate maintenance of rivers and defences. We have argued in particular that river maintenance through regular cleaning and dredging needs to be improved."

The full EFRA Committee report on the Draft Floods and Water Management Bill can be found here. Read the NFU response to the consultation on the draft Bill here.