New helpline to assist with flood relief

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to assist individuals and businesses to better protect their property from the impacts of flooding.

The announcement comes one year after devastating floods swept vast swaths of England and Wales, with 4,700 families still unable to return to their homes.

Under new plans Defra will commit £125,000 to the development of an interactive website and phone line service in conjunction with the Environment Agency.

This will provide individuals and businesses with the advice and information they need to protect their homes and premises from flooding.

Proposals to provide a government grant to help people bear some of the costs involved with implementing such measures, for example through a free home flood survey, will also form the basis of a public consultation in a few weeks' time.

"Following the events of last summer, people are rightly concerned about how they can protect themselves from future flooding," said environment minister, Hilary Benn.

"There is much that can be done to lessen the impact of flooding on both residential and business properties, if people have the right advice and help to do this.

"Doing so can also help to improve the terms of your insurance.

"The forthcoming website and the proposed grant scheme will go some way in ensuring that people are supported to make the right choices for their properties."

The government has invested more than £5 billion in flood and coastal erosion risk management over the past 12 years, with plans to invest more than £800 million per year by 2010/11.

"It's a matter for serious concern that people are often unaware of the measures they can take to lessen the danger and devastation that floods can bring," added Environment Agency chairman, Sir John Harman.

"We can't stop the rain but we can reduce the impacts of flooding, so we all need to be ready. This website will allow people to understand better the information we and others already provide and practical actions they can take."

However, the new proposals have been described as "woefully inadequate" by the Liberal Democrats.

"This is a woefully inadequate response to a major and growing problem," said Liberal Democrat shadow environment secretary, Steve Webb.

"Thousands of families are still not back in their homes after last year's floods and all the government can come up with is a website, a pilot scheme and a consultation.

"The feebleness of this response highlights the fact that Defra is grossly under-resourced for the important job it has to do."

Chris O'Toole