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Government publishes six-month Pitt progress report

   

NEWS RELEASE

Ref: 146/09
Date: 25 June 2009

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has today published a report outlining the progress Government has made in implementing the recommendations contained in the Pitt Review into the 2007 floods.

The report comes six months after Sir Michael Pitt’s review, published in December 2008, in which he made 92 recommendations to improve the UK’s preparation, management and response to severe flooding.

Significant progress has been made. We have published a draft Flood and Water Management Bill for consultation, and in advance of the Bill becoming law, we have taken immediate action to help communities at risk of flooding.

Mr Benn said:

“The Pitt progress report explains how we will complete implementation of Sir Michael’s recommendations, with target dates.  The risk of flooding remains and last the publication of last week’s UKCP09 climate projections underlines how it will increase in the future as a result of climate change. 

“The Government remains determined to make this country better able to anticipate and deal with the impacts of flooding.”

Since the summer 2007 many measures have been put in place to better protect the public and properties including:

    • Increased Government funding from £600m in 2007/8 to a forecast of £780m for 2010/11, with an additional £20m brought forward into this year’s budgets to allow an early start to projects that will benefit 27,000 homes when complete;
    • Completed 85 flood defence schemes, protecting nearly 58,000 additional homes in England.  Operating authorities are currently on course to exceed delivery targets and provide better protection to 160,000 homes over the three years to March 2011;
    • Signed up 136,000 additional people to receive flood warnings in England and Wales. 
    • Set up of the  £7.7m Flood Forecasting Centre, jointly run by the Environment Agency and Met Office, which is already providing important services to local authorities and emergency responders, helping them to be better prepared for potential flooding and;
    • A £5m grant scheme for householders for property-level flood protection like air bricks and door boards.

    Notes to editors

    1.   The six month Pitt Review progress report is available to view at www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/floods07.htm

    2.   The draft Flood and Water Management Bill consultation documents can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/flooding/flow/index.htm. The consultation will be open until 24 July 2009.

    3.   The Government’s response to the Pitt Review can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/floods07.htm.

    4.   The UK Climate Projections 2009, based on Met Office science, illustrate the extent of the changes the UK might face in the absence of global action to cut emissions – warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers, increased risk of coastal erosion and more severe weather. The maps and findings are publicly available online. The Projections can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/adapt/index.htm

    End

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    Page published: 25 June 2009