Flooding

Nadine Dorries Excerpts

Wednesday 26th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend makes a reasonable point.

[Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Pickles]

It would seem mean not to let my hon. Friend in.

[Nadine Dorries]

I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way. Will he use his good offices to persuade the Environment Agency that our constituents who live close to the rivers and watch them day in, day out know them very well, and that when they make representations to the Environment Agency asking for the rivers to be dredged, they have good reason to do so? My constituents in Shefford watched the water mark rise and rise. They escaped flooding, but only just and despite having made repeated representations to the Environment Agency. Perhaps my right hon. Friend could use his offices to make sure that the Environment Agency pays attention to constituents.

[Mr Pickles]

I will raise that issue with the Environment Agency, which I found very responsive to individual schemes. If my hon. Friend would be kind enough to give me more precise details, I will try to get an answer for her.