Oral Answers to Questions

Alistair Strathern Excerpts
Thursday 1st February 2024

(9 months, 3 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mark Spencer Portrait The Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries (Mark Spencer)
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We have regular meetings with the food and drink sector to ensure that we are in tune with its concerns and aspirations. Those discussions will continue, and we will continue to support great businesses such as Coca-Cola in my hon. Friend’s constituency, support British jobs and generate benefit for the UK economy.

Alistair Strathern Portrait Alistair Strathern (Mid Bedfordshire) (Lab)
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Towns and villages such as Maulden and Shefford in my constituency have seen their flood risk profile change dramatically over the years, partly owing to housing growth. How will the Minister ensure that funding for the Environment Agency and internal drainage boards adequately reflects the way in which that risk has evolved?

Robbie Moore Portrait Robbie Moore
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Improving our flood alleviation schemes and our flood resilience is incredibly important, which is why the Government are recognising the amount of investment we need to put into it. We are doubling that investment from £2.6 billion to £5.2 billion over the next six-year period. The sorts of schemes we are helping will assist projects across the country to deal with those problems.