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UK floods: No 10 'committed' to flood relief cash UK floods: No 'penny pinching' over relief effort says Cameron
(34 minutes later)
There will be "no sliding away" from the prime minister's promise to spend whatever it takes on flood relief efforts, No 10 sources have said. There will be "no penny pinching" when it comes to funding flood relief efforts, David Cameron has insisted.
Speaking on Tuesday, David Cameron said "money would be no object" in the clean-up operation, but critics have questioned the actual cash available. He told MPs the government would "spend whatever is necessary" on immediate support for flood-affected communities, including sandbags and military help.
Downing Street aides said the pledge related to the present relief effort and not to a wider spending commitment. The prime minister has said "money would be no object" in doing this.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said there will be no "blank cheque". But Labour leader Ed Miliband said he had doubts about this "grand promise" of financial help and those still at risk needed a "speedier response".
The prime minister has chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on the flood crisis and will lead another meeting later on Wednesday. Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron accused his Labour counterpart of "dividing the nation" over the issue of flooding at a time when the country should be pulling together in the face of adversity.
But Mr Miliband urged the government to reconsider planned cuts to the Environment Agency and said it should be spending more on flood defence in the future to make the UK more resilient.
Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on the flood crisis and will lead another meeting at 17:30 GMT.
There are still 16 severe flood warnings - meaning a danger to life - in the South East and South West of England.There are still 16 severe flood warnings - meaning a danger to life - in the South East and South West of England.
Mr Cameron has announced a package of support for homeowners, businesses and farms affected by the floods - the details of which are likely to be fleshed out in the coming days.Mr Cameron has announced a package of support for homeowners, businesses and farms affected by the floods - the details of which are likely to be fleshed out in the coming days.
A No 10 spokesman said he expected the resources to pay for the relief effort to come from contingency funds within departments and elsewhere, drawing a distinction between money for "this relief effort" and the wider costs associated with rebuilding and reconstruction.A No 10 spokesman said he expected the resources to pay for the relief effort to come from contingency funds within departments and elsewhere, drawing a distinction between money for "this relief effort" and the wider costs associated with rebuilding and reconstruction.
Up to £60m not spent by the Department of Transport this year could be used to help repair the rail network battered by the recent storms, the BBC understands.Up to £60m not spent by the Department of Transport this year could be used to help repair the rail network battered by the recent storms, the BBC understands.
The Treasury could allow the department to keep the "underspend" in its annual budget.The Treasury could allow the department to keep the "underspend" in its annual budget.
'Every resource'
Mr McLoughlin said Network Rail was already spending £38bn on maintaining and enhancing the rail network over the next five years and the money had to be spent in the "right way".Mr McLoughlin said Network Rail was already spending £38bn on maintaining and enhancing the rail network over the next five years and the money had to be spent in the "right way".
'Every resources'
But he would not comment on whether any new money would be put at his disposal.But he would not comment on whether any new money would be put at his disposal.
Asked whether £60m would be made available, he said: "There is a lot of money going into the railways, each day and each week. What now has to be asked is, 'Are we doing the right kind of resilience for today's problems?'Asked whether £60m would be made available, he said: "There is a lot of money going into the railways, each day and each week. What now has to be asked is, 'Are we doing the right kind of resilience for today's problems?'
"We need to make sure we are spending the money in the right and correct way.""We need to make sure we are spending the money in the right and correct way."
It was fair to assume, he added, that the storms of the past two months were "not a one-off" and the UK would have to prepare for future periods of extreme weather.
On the issue of funding, he told ITV's Daybreak: "I don't think it's a blank cheque. I think what the prime minister was making very clear is that we are going to use every resource of the government, and money is not the issue while we are in this relief job."On the issue of funding, he told ITV's Daybreak: "I don't think it's a blank cheque. I think what the prime minister was making very clear is that we are going to use every resource of the government, and money is not the issue while we are in this relief job."
'Bits and bobs''Bits and bobs'
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cameron had used a "big phrase" to demonstrate his commitment to do whatever was necessary to help those affected but, in reality, there did not seem to be a "big cheque".The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cameron had used a "big phrase" to demonstrate his commitment to do whatever was necessary to help those affected but, in reality, there did not seem to be a "big cheque".
The 2007 floods in the North of England cost business £740m while the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee has suggested £500m would need to be spent to make the UK's flood defences ready for future floods.The 2007 floods in the North of England cost business £740m while the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee has suggested £500m would need to be spent to make the UK's flood defences ready for future floods.
The UK Independence Party has called on the prime minister to give more details of where the money will come from, saying that the sums needed could run to hundreds of millions of pounds.The UK Independence Party has called on the prime minister to give more details of where the money will come from, saying that the sums needed could run to hundreds of millions of pounds.
Nigel Farage, the party's leader, has called for money to be temporarily taken from the foreign aid budget to deal with the immediate challenges - a proposal rejected by the prime minister.Nigel Farage, the party's leader, has called for money to be temporarily taken from the foreign aid budget to deal with the immediate challenges - a proposal rejected by the prime minister.
"If David Cameron is only talking about utilising a £60m transport underspend and one or two other bits and bobs from across Whitehall then he still clearly does not appreciate the terrible scale of this crisis," Mr Farage said."If David Cameron is only talking about utilising a £60m transport underspend and one or two other bits and bobs from across Whitehall then he still clearly does not appreciate the terrible scale of this crisis," Mr Farage said.