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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the contribution by the Prime Minister of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 1116W, what assessment he has made of the cost of flooding damage to (a) farmers and (b) small businesses from the beginning of the financial year 2013 which will become eligible for support from his Department's (a) Farming Recovery Fund and (b) support for fishermen schemes; and what estimate he has made of the number of additional claims made under each such scheme as a result of this extended eligibility.

There are no plans to extend eligibility for either of these two schemes. Both of these schemes build on existing EU schemes where the EU rules prevent any changes in eligibility that would allow those flooded before 1 December 2013 to apply.