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| UK floods: PM pledges £40m to fix defences | UK floods: PM pledges £40m to fix defences |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Flood defences "overwhelmed" by recent record rainfall will be fixed and bolstered in a £40m package of spending, the prime minister has said. | Flood defences "overwhelmed" by recent record rainfall will be fixed and bolstered in a £40m package of spending, the prime minister has said. |
| Thousands of homes across northern England were affected after Storm Eva hit on Boxing Day. | |
| The £40m package for Yorkshire comes on top of £50m funding to help local authorities' response to the floods. | The £40m package for Yorkshire comes on top of £50m funding to help local authorities' response to the floods. |
| Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has accused David Cameron of providing only a "short-term fix" for the problem. | Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has accused David Cameron of providing only a "short-term fix" for the problem. |
| And the leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, said the funding was a "first step" in tackling the issue. | |
| Parts of northern England and north-east and central Scotland have been among the worst affected by flooding after several weeks of heavy rain, with hundreds of people forced to leave their homes over Christmas and thousands left without power. | Parts of northern England and north-east and central Scotland have been among the worst affected by flooding after several weeks of heavy rain, with hundreds of people forced to leave their homes over Christmas and thousands left without power. |
| It has also emerged that ministers were presented in November with a document from the Association of Drainage Authorities which said that since 2000, the UK had had its five wettest years on record, yet the Environment Agency's overall spending on flood management fell by 14%. | |
| Amber warnings for rain, meaning the public should "be prepared", are in place for parts of eastern Scotland for Sunday and Monday, meaning outbreaks of heavy rain are expected. | Amber warnings for rain, meaning the public should "be prepared", are in place for parts of eastern Scotland for Sunday and Monday, meaning outbreaks of heavy rain are expected. |
| The Met Office has also issued yellow "be aware" warnings for parts of Northern Ireland, south Wales and south-west England for the weekend. | The Met Office has also issued yellow "be aware" warnings for parts of Northern Ireland, south Wales and south-west England for the weekend. |
| What have we done to make the flooding worse? | What have we done to make the flooding worse? |
| In pictures: Flood misery continues | In pictures: Flood misery continues |
| Explainer: December storms' trail of destruction | Explainer: December storms' trail of destruction |
| Analysis: Floods unleash unprecedented criticism | Analysis: Floods unleash unprecedented criticism |
| About £10m of the new funds will be spent on improving defences in York. The Environment Agency was criticised after officials decided to lift the Foss Barrier, designed to protect the city, after finding its pumps were at risk of electrical failure because of water entering the building. | About £10m of the new funds will be spent on improving defences in York. The Environment Agency was criticised after officials decided to lift the Foss Barrier, designed to protect the city, after finding its pumps were at risk of electrical failure because of water entering the building. |
| The rest of the money will be spent on repairing defences on the Calder, Aire, Ouse, Derwent and Wharfe rivers in Yorkshire. | The rest of the money will be spent on repairing defences on the Calder, Aire, Ouse, Derwent and Wharfe rivers in Yorkshire. |
| Mr Cameron said: "I have seen at first hand the devastation caused by flooding. And that's why this work to repair and improve flood defences is so vital. | Mr Cameron said: "I have seen at first hand the devastation caused by flooding. And that's why this work to repair and improve flood defences is so vital. |
| "We are already spending £280m over the next six years to protect thousands of houses from flooding in Yorkshire as part of our £2.3bn investment to protect 300,000 houses across the country. | "We are already spending £280m over the next six years to protect thousands of houses from flooding in Yorkshire as part of our £2.3bn investment to protect 300,000 houses across the country. |
| "But now more than £40m will be spent to fix those defences overwhelmed by the record rainfall we've seen in recent weeks and to make them more resilient to further bad weather." | "But now more than £40m will be spent to fix those defences overwhelmed by the record rainfall we've seen in recent weeks and to make them more resilient to further bad weather." |
| 'Small down payment' | 'Small down payment' |
| Ms Blake said Leeds needed the "best possible, comprehensive flood defences" and queried the detail of how the £40m would be allocated. | Ms Blake said Leeds needed the "best possible, comprehensive flood defences" and queried the detail of how the £40m would be allocated. |
| She added: "We're keen to see the detail of exactly where and how this will be spent and how much will be available in Leeds, so residents and businesses can be offered some reassurance." | She added: "We're keen to see the detail of exactly where and how this will be spent and how much will be available in Leeds, so residents and businesses can be offered some reassurance." |
| Money has also already been pledged to help those in Cumbria, Lancashire and Northumberland affected by Storm Desmond. | Money has also already been pledged to help those in Cumbria, Lancashire and Northumberland affected by Storm Desmond. |
| Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency was hit by flooding, questioned how much of the £40m was new money and described it as a "small down payment" compared to the £500m bill faced in Cumbria. | Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency was hit by flooding, questioned how much of the £40m was new money and described it as a "small down payment" compared to the £500m bill faced in Cumbria. |
| He said: "Time and time again, David Cameron offers warm words and a little bit of funding for a short-term fix. | He said: "Time and time again, David Cameron offers warm words and a little bit of funding for a short-term fix. |
| "This money wouldn't be needed now if he had followed through with so many previous commitments to truly protect homes threatened with flooding." | "This money wouldn't be needed now if he had followed through with so many previous commitments to truly protect homes threatened with flooding." |
| Mr Farron added: "The PM famously said 'money was no object' - let's see if that is true." | Mr Farron added: "The PM famously said 'money was no object' - let's see if that is true." |
| Shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy said there have been cuts in flood defence spending every year since 2010 - apart from after the Somerset floods in 2013-14 - with further cuts of £115m due this year. | Shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy said there have been cuts in flood defence spending every year since 2010 - apart from after the Somerset floods in 2013-14 - with further cuts of £115m due this year. |
| "A lump sum of £40m is a short-term, sticking-plaster approach," she said. | "A lump sum of £40m is a short-term, sticking-plaster approach," she said. |
| 'Terrible mistake' | 'Terrible mistake' |
| Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, whose Leeds Central constituency was hit by flooding, said: "This is the very least the government can do given the extent of the damage from flooding, but what we really want to hear from the prime minister is a cast-iron commitment to fund phases two and three of the Leeds flood defence scheme. | Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, whose Leeds Central constituency was hit by flooding, said: "This is the very least the government can do given the extent of the damage from flooding, but what we really want to hear from the prime minister is a cast-iron commitment to fund phases two and three of the Leeds flood defence scheme. |
| "As we now know to our cost, ministers made a terrible mistake when they refused to fund the full scheme in 2011 and they now need to put that right." | "As we now know to our cost, ministers made a terrible mistake when they refused to fund the full scheme in 2011 and they now need to put that right." |
| According to the Observer, the document issued to ministers by the Association of Drainage Authorities said that annual flood and storm damage costs are estimated by the Association of British Insurers to be £1.1bn. | According to the Observer, the document issued to ministers by the Association of Drainage Authorities said that annual flood and storm damage costs are estimated by the Association of British Insurers to be £1.1bn. |
| It also says the number of households at significant risk of flood damage could increase from 330,000 currently to 570,000 in 2035, as a result of "a reduction in our capacity to manage water levels". | It also says the number of households at significant risk of flood damage could increase from 330,000 currently to 570,000 in 2035, as a result of "a reduction in our capacity to manage water levels". |
| Transport Minister Robert Goodwill has been made a "flooding envoy" for Yorkshire by Mr Cameron. | Transport Minister Robert Goodwill has been made a "flooding envoy" for Yorkshire by Mr Cameron. |
| Mr Goodwill, who will oversee the response in the region, said: "The effects of the flooding in Yorkshire have been devastating and my thoughts are with every person affected by the catastrophic weather we have seen sweep across the north of England this December. | Mr Goodwill, who will oversee the response in the region, said: "The effects of the flooding in Yorkshire have been devastating and my thoughts are with every person affected by the catastrophic weather we have seen sweep across the north of England this December. |
| "As a Yorkshireman I am determined to ensure I do everything I can to help protect communities in this area from the devastation flooding can cause." | "As a Yorkshireman I am determined to ensure I do everything I can to help protect communities in this area from the devastation flooding can cause." |
| It has also been announced that charities raising cash for communities hit by floods will have contributions matched by the government, up to a total of £2m. | It has also been announced that charities raising cash for communities hit by floods will have contributions matched by the government, up to a total of £2m. |