MPs' flood report slams government planning

The government's flood planning is inadequate to protect the UK's homes and businesses, a new report from MPs has warned.

The report, by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, looked at how the government prepares for the possibility of heavy rainfall and surface water flooding.

It found that the infrastructure to deal with such an event is "confused and chaotic", and that it is unclear who should lead the response.

The report says that 7,100 businesses were flooded during the floods of summer 2007, and that "those affected, and many others, now suffer the worry that such damaging floods could happen again".

Pointing to increased spending on flood risk management – due to rise from £600 million last year to £800 million in 2010-11 – the committee concluded that "this settlement looks far less impressive under close analysis".

The report calls for the Environment Agency to be given powers to co-ordinate action on surface water flooding.

It also recommends that a single person be charged with "chasing" the implementation of recommendations by The Pitt Review - the independent review of flood policy which is due to publish its final report this summer.

The insurance industry, which paid out £3 billion in flood insurance claims last summer, has been pushing for greater spending on flood defences and improved risk management by statutory bodies.

In response to the new report, director-general of the Association of British Insurers Stephen Haddrill reiterated his call for a shake-up in flood mitigation: "Despite the devastation and tragedy of last summer's floods, the UK remains ill-prepared for coping with a major flood."

"We need a Floods Bill in the forthcoming Queen's Speech to clarify flood management responsibility, and to ensure we effectively manage the flood risk," he said.