Flooding

Nigel Evans Excerpts
Monday 26th November 2012

(11 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Owen Paterson Portrait Mr Paterson
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I went very close to my hon. Friend’s patch on Friday and saw the scheme that worked incredibly effectively in protecting Northampton town. The Nene was tamed. He rightly says that the huge wet area was saturated. I saw a permanent caravan site that had been badly flooded and a large number of people had been evacuated. I pay tribute to all the agencies in his area that I met: the Environment Agency, the police, the fire service and the local council. He is right that it is completely barmy to build on floodplains. I want to drill it in to everyone who is listening that the NPPF makes it very clear that that is a bad idea and that it should not happen.

Nigel Evans Portrait Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)
- Hansard - -

I thank the Secretary of State for making that statement on such an important issue.