Shadow DEFRA Minister and Epping Forest MP, Dr Neil Hudson, has urged Labour not to revoke flood prevention, preparedness and compensation schemes enacted under the Conservatives following recent extreme weather that saw thousands across the nation stranded, without power or with damage to property and belongings.
His comments came in his frontbench response to a ministerial statement on flooding where he quizzed the Water and Flooding Minister on what action the Labour Government has taken and called for urgency and foresight when implementing national flooding policy.
Labour's new Floods Resilience Taskforce that was announced in September to much internal fanfare has only met once since its launch. Given that flooding is a season occurrence, Dr Hudson was especially concerned that more recent and ongoing meetings had not come to fruition and demanded that the Taskforce meet before the end of the month.
Specifically on funding, Dr Hudson called on his Labour counterpart to review and expand the Flood Re Scheme which helps insure at-risk properties. He also cited the £100 m Frequently Flooded Allowance which is a ringfenced pot of money to support repeatedly flooded communities; and the Farming Recovery Fund, which protects the vital agri-food production industry from exceptional weather events. These schemes were set up by the Conservative Government to protect the nation from flooding - and yet in her response, the Water and Flooding Minister did not commit to retaining pots of dedicated funding provided by the Conservatives.
His timely intervention comes just a few months ahead of the new financial year, during which the Labour Government's 2024 Autumn Budget publicly states that flood defence schemes will be under review "to ensure they are affordable". Dr Hudson has been resolute that any review must not compromise the bolstered levels of funding provided under the previous Conservative administration - especially given that extreme weather events have only grown in number and severity over recent years.
Speaking afterwards, Shadow DEFRA Minister, Dr Neil Hudson, said:
"My heart truly does go out to all those impacted by recent extreme weather events and we must not underestimate the mental health impact this will have long after emergency services depart, and compensation is received. In my own constituency of Epping Forest roads were submerged and drivers were left stranded in floodwaters, properties were damaged and public transport issues prevented people from making vital appointments. I again pay tribute to all of the selfless individuals up and down the land who helped those in need against the recent floods.
"It is therefore incredibly troubling that the new Labour administration still refuses to commit to retaining the funding we Conservatives set out while in Government. With extreme weather events becoming far more frequent and severe, it is a disappointing move to see Labour deciding to review its flood defence spending plans. Frankly we all know what a review could mean, and any step backwards is just a further blow to those people who spent Christmas and New Year protecting their properties, clearing roads or re-connecting power.
"We need an update now and it needs to involve resolute funding commitments."
You can watch Dr Hudson's full speech in the House of Commons Chamber from 17:04:32, here.
Dr Neil Hudson's full intervention as reported by Hansard:
"I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement. I put on the record my gratitude to the Minister and her whole team for hosting a constructive and helpful cross-party meeting on Friday, together with officials from DEFRA, the Environment Agency, the Met Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
"On behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition, I pay tribute to the emergency services, local authorities and the Environment Agency for their efforts, over the challenging festive period and the ongoing start of the working year, to help people quickly, often in dangerous circumstances. I thank members of the public, volunteer groups and our amazing farmers, who have once again stepped in to help their neighbours and local communities in difficult times.
"The current flooding, snow and rain have had, and continue to have, hugely detrimental impacts across the United Kingdom. Today, roads are closed, many schools have been unable to reopen on what should have been the first day of term, rail services have been suspended, and airports have experienced extreme delays. Furthermore, as the Minister said, as a result of the extreme weather Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has declared a major incident across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Our thoughts are with all those whose homes and businesses have been damaged, and with all those who continue to be affected.
"Many of those people will be distressed, angry and completely exhausted as they begin the new year with the process of restoring and rebuilding their homes and businesses. I sound a bit like a broken record, but I reiterate that we must not underestimate the mental health impacts of flooding on communities, in respect of both the anxiety of being flooded and the trauma when flooding hits. It is essential that practical support is provided as quickly as possible and remains in place after the waters have subsided and the blue lights have departed. Will the Minister update us on the action the Government are taking to get schools open as soon as possible? What steps are her Department taking to ensure that insurance claims can be processed as quickly as possible, so that those affected can return to their homes as soon as they can?
"In addition, what steps are the Government taking to review and potentially expand the vital Flood Re scheme, so that insurance cover is expanded in terms of the age of building eligibility and to include businesses? We discussed that issue at the cross-party meeting on Friday. While in government, the Conservatives ringfenced £100 million to help communities threatened by repeated flooding. Will the Minister commit to that funding, and will those affected by flooding again, in the latest period of bad weather, be eligible to apply?
"Furthermore, will the Minister provide assurances that discretionary funding, such as the flood recovery framework or the Bellwin scheme, will be implemented to alleviate the effects of flooding? Even if the thresholds for the numbers of properties affected are sometimes not met, will the Minister and her colleagues across Government commit to a compassionate, pragmatic and case-by-case approach to awarding that vital discretionary funding?
"Additionally, the previous Conservative Government established the farming recovery fund to support farmers recovering from uninsurable damage. Will the Minister confirm whether the Government will renew that Conservative initiative and provide new funding for this winter’s storms?
"Finally, the Secretary of State has set up a flood resilience taskforce to improve flood preparedness that has met only once. What work did the taskforce do ahead of the latest bad weather? Should it not meet more regularly—certainly before the end of this month, as the Minister stated—to learn any lessons and to respond to the ever-dynamic weather events we have seen in recent weeks? With many warnings for flooding still in place, I know that many people will be experiencing huge anxiety and uncertainty, so I conclude by wishing every community, and the services and people supporting them, a safe period moving forward."
