To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish his Department's revised Flood and Coastal Defence Project Appraisal Guidance Notes. [76372]

We plan to replace the Project Appraisal Guidance Notes with a series of six documents covering strategic planning and appraisal; economic appraisal; risk assessment; environmental appraisal; post project evaluation in addition to an introductory volume. The series will be published over the next eighteen months. The guidance on economic appraisal is nearing finalisation and publication is due by the summer.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those who have been formally asked to comment on drafts of his Department's Flood and Coastal Defence Project Appraisal Guidance Notes; and if he will publish a list of consultees and their responses. [76380]

Prior to embarking on a review of the Project Appraisal Guidance Notes operating authorities—the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Bodies—the Ministry's Flood and Coastal Defence Policy and Review Group consultants and contractors were consulted on their effectiveness and provided the opportunity to contribute to a revision. We concluded that the current Notes should be replaced with a series which would continue to elaborate Treasury guidelines, but would update and present existing guidance in a single series. Preparation of these documents is being progressed under the guidance of specific steering groups with appropriate representation drawn from among operating authorities, English nature, and consultants.