Oral Answers to Questions

Julie Hilling Excerpts

Thursday 5th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paice]

My noble Friend Lord Taylor of Holbeach has assured me, within the Department, of the concern expressed throughout Lincolnshire, but we have to be consistent in our application of the criteria. As I have just described, we felt that the whole application was rather too loose. We have an appeal to consider and if Lincolnshire people come forward with a variation on the application, that will also be considered.

[Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab)]

5. What steps her Department is taking to ensure universal availability of flood insurance.

[Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)]

11. What steps her Department is taking to ensure universal availability of flood insurance.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman)]

The availability and affordability of insurance in flood risk areas is an important issue for the Government. We are at an advanced stage in intensive and constructive negotiations with the insurance industry on alternative arrangements for when the statement of principles expires. I will be providing a further update to the House shortly.

[Julie Hilling]

Simon Douglas, the director of AA Insurance, believes that some homes will not be able to renew their flood insurance this year because their new policy will extend beyond the life of the statement of principles. The situation is now urgent. The Secretary of State must resolve it. When is she going to sign the deal?

[Mrs Spelman]

I took the trouble to find out the situation in the hon. Lady’s constituency. The Environment Agency has confirmed that it has received no reports of flooded properties there, notwithstanding the surface water pressure over Bolton in June. None the less, the issue is important.

On the urgency, I gently remind the hon. Lady that her party had two years in government from the time when it agreed that the statement of principles would not be renewed. It found no solution, leaving this Government with a ticking time bomb in the safe where no money was left.