Benn allocates £34 million to implement Pitt Review recommendations

UK government minister Hilary Benn has announced that at least £34.5 million will be allocated to implement the final recommendations from Sir Michael Pitt's report on the summer floods.

Hilary Benn said: "The devastation that was caused by the unprecedented level of rainfall this summer has shown us the awful and lasting impact flooding can have on communities.

"If we are to learn the lessons and reduce the impact of future flooding on this scale, we have much work to do. I have accepted the urgent recommendations outlined in Sir Michael Pitt's interim report, but there will be still more to consider when he publishes his final report, later on this year. This is why I have set aside an initial £34.5 million of funding, in anticipation of the work that his final recommendations may ask for."

The £34.5 million will come from a total budget of £62.5 million retained by Defra to fund a range of work which includes helping communities adapt to the flood and coastal erosion impact of climate change.

The full statement can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/statements/default.asp

•Date: 5th February 2008• Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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