asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will call for a report from the Wessex water authority into the co-relation between work it has undertaken to alter the course of the River Stour and recent severe flooding; and if he will make a statement.

The Wessex water authority has told my Department that the recent flooding in the Bourn mouth/Christchurch area was caused by exceptionally heavy rainfall and that it is satisfied that it was not connected with the improvements carried out to the River Stour. I understand that the authority is carrying out investigations to see whether flood alleviation works to prevent a recurrence of the flooding are feasible and economically justifiable.