To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what additional support his Department is providing to ensure that those areas in Westmorland and Lonsdale which are most at risk do not suffer flooding; (153385)

Overall Government funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management will rise from the £600 million this year to £800 million in 2010-11. Investment is prioritised in order to reduce the threat to people and their property and deliver the greatest environmental, social and economic benefit, consistent with the Government's sustainable development principles.

Within the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, the Environment Agency has an ongoing programme of prioritised maintenance works for flood defences and river systems. The Agency also has a programme of investigations and studies which aim to identify improvement works for inclusion in their medium to long-term capital investment programme.