Tory MP Philip Davies says repeat flooding of households during Storm Ciara is 'completely unacceptable'

Rebecca Speare-Cole10 February 2020
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A Tory MP has said it is "completely unacceptable" that many constituents whose homes were flooded during Storm Ciara were also victims of the 2015 Boxing Day floods.

Philip Davies, who represents Shipley in West Yorkshire, spoke out after Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers made a statement in the Commons on the Government's response to flooding over the weekend.

Storm Ciara wreaked havoc across the UK on Sunday, causing travel mayhem, power cuts, fallen trees and widespread floods.

On Monday, Mr Davies thanked Ms Villiers for her time and support following the floods as he addressed the Commons.

Storm Ciara: Sinkhole - In pictures

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But he added: "As I told her, many of my constituents who were flooded over the weekend are exactly the same people who were flooded on Boxing Day in 2015 which really is completely unacceptable.

"Can she assure me that the flood defence programme that the Government has in place will ensure that my constituents in Shipley won't have to suffer this fate yet again?"

Submerged cars and floating wheelie bins are pictured in a flooded street in Mytholmroyd, northern England
AFP via Getty Images

Ms Villiers replied: "Well I'm afraid there can be no absolute guarantees on flooding, but what I can assure him is that the Government is determined to press on with its major investment in our flood defences to better protect thousands of homes and businesses across the country."

There would be, she added, a "fresh look to make sure that everything possible is being done to keep those flood defence projects on track for delivery".

Britain's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Theresa Villiers arrives at Downing Street
REUTERS

Labour's Holly Lynch said there was a "sense of absolute devastation" that "for so many residents we are in the same position again having flooded in 2015".

Ms Lynch reeled off a list of those affected locally including: 400 residential properties flooded, 400 businesses, eight schools, two care homes and two damaged bridges as she called for a meeting with Ms Villiers.

Labour former leader and former secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Miliband also described the Government assistance as "inadequate".

Boxing Day 2015 misery: Rescue teams in Whalley, Lancashire, as Lancashire and Yorkshire have been hit by downpours 
Kim Pilling/PA Wire

He said: "Three months on from the floods that hit my constituency in November, many people are still suffering, still out of their homes and I'm afraid Government help for those particularly without insurance, despite promises made, is inadequate."

The Doncaster North MP called on Ms Villiers to "look again" at matched funds, adding: "Although the Government has said it is making up to £1 million available, itself a measly sum compared to the need, that money is not being released because £600,000 has been raised from local businesses and people, but it doesn't reach the million.

"This is penny pinching, narrow minded and wrong."

Labour chairwoman of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee Rachel Reeves argued: "There remains a £23 million gap between what the Government have committed to flood defences in Leeds and what is needed to protect us against the floods we experienced just four years ago."

Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse (Bath) said: "There's no denial that it's the climate emergency that causes these extreme weather events.

"Planting millions of trees is part of the way of responding to the climate emergency, indeed her (Ms Villiers) party has pledged to plant millions of new trees every year.

"Has the Government actually planned where these millions of trees are going to go and when will this plan be published?"

Ms Villiers responded: "The Government is already running a range of schemes to promote the planting of trees including the Urban Tree Challenge Fund, where we announced successful bids at the weekend.

"We will be publishing further details in our tree strategy for England which will be coming out in a few weeks' time."

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