To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that changes in the available budget of his Department and its associated public bodies do not adversely affect watercourse drainage and maintenance, especially in high value agricultural areas. (118880)

DEFRA has overall policy responsibility for flood risk management in England, funds most of the Environment Agency (EA)’s flood related work and grant aids individual capital improvement projects undertaken by local authorities and internal drainage boards. The programme to manage risk is driven by these operating authorities. DEFRA does not carry out works, nor direct the authorities on which specific projects to undertake.

The only budget reduction for flood risk management has been the reduction in the DEFRA-funded EA resource budget for 2006-07 from £238 million to £223 million. The EA capital budget (which delivers new and improved defences and flood warning systems) of £190 million was not affected, nor were the capital budgets for the other authorities.

The EA has maintained investment levels in 2006-07 in non-recurring maintenance—which improves the condition of defences—but has had to reduce the scale of routine maintenance in some regions. I understand the EA has managed the impact of the reduction so as to minimise the impact on flood risks.

The EA’s allocation of DEFRA grant in aid for flood risk management in 2007-08 will be £435.7 million. This is an increase compared to the 2006-07 original allocation and more than restores the in-year reduction in 2006-07.