Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Owen Paterson

Thursday 16th May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

As my hon. Friend—who chairs the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee—is aware, we will be presenting a water Bill in the summer, and we shall have an opportunity to include clauses that will lead to the legislation that is required. We are convinced that, whatever happens, there will have to be some form of legislation to ensure that the arrangement is comprehensive. The detail to which my hon. Friend refers will be dealt with in the negotiations.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

17. I pay tribute to the Secretary of State and his Ministers for the hard work they have been doing. Does the Secretary of State share my frustration over the fact that it seems to be the ABI and the insurance industry—one of our great successes in this country— that are exerting the pressure, and holding out for some sort of subsidy from the taxpayer in order to secure an agreement?

[Mr Paterson]

Having visited my hon. Friend’s constituency during the floods, I am fully aware of the importance of the issue to her constituents, but it is a complex issue. We are trying to find a long-term solution, and to sort out the conundrum of affordability, comprehensiveness, and not imposing a long-term burden on the taxpayer. I pay tribute to the ABI for the constructive manner in which it has engaged in the regular meetings and discussions that have taken place. We are not quite there yet, but I hope to be able to come to the House soon to announce a resolution of the problems.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Owen Paterson

Thursday 24th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

4. How many properties were protected from the recent flooding by flood defence schemes.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)]

The Environment Agency estimates that more than 22,000 properties in England and Wales that would otherwise have flooded in December have been protected through a combination of flood defences, maintenance work, storage basins and temporary defence measures. In addition, 183,000 properties were protected between April and November.

[Mr Paterson]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. The Environment Agency’s national flood risk assessment assesses the likelihood of flooding and that information should be transferred to insurance companies when the new data are available. I understand that local circumstances meant there was a delay in his constituency, but the map will be updated in April.

[Harriett Baldwin]

I thank the Secretary of State for paying a visit to Upton upon Severn to see how the new flood defences protected the community through last winter’s floods. Will he consider carefully the business case and bid for flood defences for the market town of Tenbury Wells when they come to the Environment Agency later this year?

[Mr Paterson]

I enjoyed visiting my hon. Friend’s constituency. I pay tribute to those in the Environment Agency, councils and other public services who worked so hard over Christmas and the new year. She is an indefatigable supporter of her constituents’ demands and the Tenbury Wells scheme is in play as part of the extra funding that is being made available, but I cannot make any announcements today.

Flooding

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Owen Paterson

Monday 26th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I went to Cowley bridge to look at the damage to the railway line and I am pleased to say that it will be mended by tomorrow, which will be a triumph for those involved, because I was told that something like 200 tonnes of aggregate had shifted. The hon. Gentleman is right to raise a number of detailed issues, and they will have to be worked through by local councils and agencies. I was impressed by the resilience of all those affected by events in recent days and I have every confidence that they will see their way through this situation.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

West Worcestershire has had the benefit of six new flood defence schemes since 2007. They have protected 360 homes and more than £8 million has been spent on them. Sadly, the Kempsey pump failed on Sunday morning, and I pay tribute to the engineers and emergency workers who came out in the middle of the night to fix it. When the investigation discovers the cause of the incident, will the Environment Agency seek compensation from the manufacturers of the pump, and how will it get that compensation to the home owners whose homes were flooded? How will the situation resolve itself in the long term in respect of the insurance for those homes?

[Mr Paterson]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the situation in Kempsey. It was sickening that, according to my knowledge, the pump failed at 4 am. The scheme was designed to protect 70 properties, but 20 of those were damaged. A detailed investigation into what happened is taking place. I congratulate the Environment Agency on getting the pump going again. I believe that it had tripped out. There will be detailed results from the investigation and we will take the matter further when we see them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Owen Paterson

Thursday 25th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

The hon. Gentleman makes a highly pertinent point. The statement of principles is not working at present, and affordability is a key part of that. I have meetings coming up shortly with the Association of British Insurers and I will establish its latest figures, but we want to resolve this: we are determined to get to the bottom of it, because I totally sympathise with people such as the hon. Gentleman’s constituent.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

Can the Minister confirm that the moneys available in the rural community broadband fund that come from the European Union will not be subject to European state aid rules?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Owen Paterson

Wednesday 30th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I thank the hon. Lady for that question. I do not entirely agree with her. The strikes today are most regrettable. They will not help a single business in Northern Ireland. They will not bring a single job to Northern Ireland. The Government are in talks with the unions and a very fair offer has been made, considering that the cost of public pensions increased by a third over the past 10 years to £32 billion. We are all in this together, and the unions should work with the Government.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

In those discussions with Northern Ireland Ministers about economic development, has my right hon. Friend heard appreciation for the fact that the UK has remained outside the euro and has retained its triple A rating?

[Mr Paterson]

My hon. Friend is spot on. We came to power with interest rates higher than Italy’s. Thanks to the very disciplined and determined manner in which the coalition has addressed the deficit, we now have interest rates level-pegging with Germany’s. That is of benefit to every single person in Northern Ireland.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Owen Paterson

Wednesday 19th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I think that it is outside my remit. If the hon. Gentleman has questions that he would like to address to the Government of the Republic, he should write to them direct.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on the commission to consider the West Lothian question.