Flooding

Debate between Nigel Adams and Owen Paterson

Monday 26th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I wish I had such extraordinary powers. The fact is that we have to react and adapt to the weather, and that is what the Government are doing.

[Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con)]

In recent months, and this weekend, constituents of mine have woken up to flooding. Today, loss assessors are visiting constituents in the village of Saxton and bridges are still closed in Cattal. On Saturday I visited a Kelfield farmer, Richard Bramley, some of whose land is in a floodplain designed to help protect the village of Cawood. Thankfully, the flood defences worked, but Mr Bramley has lost more than £50,000-worth of crops. As flooding is becoming increasingly frequent, does the Secretary of State agree with Mr Bramley and me that the management of the water system does not appear to be keeping pace with changing weather conditions?

[Mr Paterson]

That is why we are putting this huge sum of money into flood defence schemes and encouraging partnerships with local government and, on the ground, with individuals and farmers, such as the one my hon. Friend cites, working with local drainage boards and councils to ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nigel Adams and Owen Paterson

Wednesday 7th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I would genuinely like to reassure the hon. Gentleman that we talk about this matter frequently, not only with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister but with the Justice Minister, whom I saw on Monday. A lot of these projects are now in devolved hands—many of them in the hands of the Department of Justice—and we entirely agree that they need to carry on.

[Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con)]

2. What recent assessment he has made of the benefits to Northern Ireland of remaining part of the UK.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen Paterson)]

This Government firmly believe in the United Kingdom. We believe that what we can achieve together will always be much more than we can ever do apart. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear, we will always back the democratic wishes of the people of Northern Ireland.

[Nigel Adams]

I am extremely grateful for that reply. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Union ensures that all parts of the UK can be part of a larger and stronger economy?

[Mr Paterson]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Having only 2.8% of the UK population, Northern Ireland benefits enormously from being part of the United Kingdom. I was interested to see a poll yesterday that had been conducted by Queen’s university, which showed that 82.6% wanted to remain in the UK, and only 17.4% wanted a united Ireland.