To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the National Flood Emergency Framework set out in the Pitt Review on the summer floods of 2007; and when he expects the framework to be implemented. (210428)

DEFRA is preparing the timetable and a project plan with support from the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) and have drawn together a Project Board and terms of reference with a view to implementing a National Framework for flooding over the coming two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent in the last 18 months on improving flood defences; and on which defences. (210430)

Between 1 November 2006 and 31 May 2008 the Environment Agency spent approximately £720 million in England on flood defence related activity including asset maintenance, flood warning, mapping, development control and capital projects. The total capital expenditure was around £316 million, the majority being used to build new defences and improve existing ones.