Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to ensure that farmers' land is not affected by the implementation of flood prevention measures along the River Severn.

The Environment Agency, along with other members of the River Severn partnership, is currently investigating options to reduce flood risk along the River Severn. The partnership is taking a catchment based approach, looking at a range of options, both traditional and innovative, to better manage water across the Severn Basin.

The effects of any proposal, in terms of both its benefits and impacts, are carefully considered as part of the development process in order to ensure they are acceptable to all stakeholders and do not increase risk to others.