Flooding: Somerset

Baroness Northover Excerpts

Monday 10th February 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Jenkin of Roding (Con)]

My Lords, while applauding the work that is being done to try to help people in the stricken areas, particularly the Somerset Levels, can we look for a moment at the longer term? My noble friend told us last Thursday that,

“the Secretary of State has asked for a clear action plan for the sustainable future of the Somerset Levels and moors to resolve the problem for the next 20 years”.—[Official Report, 6/2/14; col. 264.]

Can I draw my noble friend’s attention to a recently published article by Dr Colin Clark, who is an extremely well known hydrologist, in charge of the Charldon Hill research centre in Somerset? The article is entitled, “Floods on the Somerset Levels: a Sad Tale of Ignorance and Neglect”—over the past 20 years. While having to deal with the crisis now is obviously absolutely crucial, I hope that the action plan will take account of the extremely important points made in Dr Clark’s article, where he identifies in some considerable detail—

[Baroness Northover (LD)]

My Lords, we have 10 minutes altogether for the UQ.

[Lord Jenkin of Roding]

He says in considerable detail what actually should be done.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Curry of Kirkharle]

My Lords—

[Baroness Northover]

I think it is the turn of the Cross Benches.

[Lord Curry of Kirkharle (CB)]

My Lords, I have a very similar question. The speed at which water is now running from hillsides and from urban areas—tarmac and concrete—is part of the problem, coupled with the extreme weather events that we are now seeing. Catchment management is critical to try to reduce and mitigate the risk. I hope that the department is taking that very seriously.