Flood defences need 'urgent repairs'

York was one of the worst affected areas in the floods

The increased threat of global warming has prompted calls for more money to be spent on UK flood defences.

Countryside minister Elliott Morley said it would be very wrong for the government to assume that last winter's floods were a one off and it was essential to think ahead.

His comments, on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, were made following the publication of a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) which revealed that 43% of flood defences in the country were not up to standard.

Residents of Yalding in Kent coped with repeated flooding

The worst floods for centuries last autumn hit hundreds of properties in ancient cities such as York and Shrewsbury.

The report suggested that up to two million properties in England were at risk and two in five householders did not know if their insurance policies would cover them for flood damage.

Sir John Bourn, NAO Comptroller and Auditor General called for urgent action saying flooding over the next 50 years was expected to increase in light of changes in climate and rainfall patterns.

Shared responsibility

Mr Morley said the report showed there were quite wide disparities between the condition of flood defences.

"It is a shared responsibility and many councils around the country have taken on that responsibility, but there are disparities in terms of performance.

"Some flood defence committees funded by local authorities have been very good performers and taken things very seriously.

"Over the years, we have had quite long dry periods and there is no doubt that many local authorities have not been putting in the money that was expected."

He said it was inevitable that more expenditure would be needed to tackle the problem. Since the report was drawn up, the government has announced extra resources for flood defences, including £11.6m to be spent on repairs and upgrading this year, he added.

Call for unity

The number of agencies with responsibility for flood defences was also criticised by the watchdog.

The Environment Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and local authorities all have a part to play but the report said they should work more closely together.

Barbara Young, chief executive of the Environment Agency, said it was disturbing that the flood defences were graded in poor condition in many places.

"But in last year's floods generally a considerable number of properties were successfully defended by flood barriers," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme,

"About 40% of the flood conditions we experienced before Christmas were due to there being no flood defences at all rather than inadequate flood defences."

A report by the cross-party Commons Agriculture Committee had earlier criticised the government's response to last autumn's floods.

David Davis MP, the Conservative chairman of the public accounts committee, said: "Hundreds of different bodies are responsible for flood defences across England and we must be sure that they really are working together towards proper provision of defences."