asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contingency funds are available to meet localised disasters such as flooding; and what help is automatically made available to local authorities to meet the immediate financial burden of such events.

There are no central contingency funds specifically available to meet localised disasters and no help is given automatically to local authorities to meet the immediate financial burden of such events. The policy of successive Governments has been to give financial help only when the local authorities in the affected areas would otherwise suffer an undue burden.