To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether his Department allocates funding to coastal local authorities for tackling the effects of coastal erosion; (323695)

The majority of the investment for all flood and coastal erosion risk management activity is now delivered through grants from DEFRA to the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency invests directly in coastal flood risk management and also gives grants to local authorities and internal drainage boards.

The following table shows the grants that were allocated to coastal local authorities for coastal erosion risk management in the last five financial years. Levels of grant allocation for coastal erosion in part reflect the number and nature of schemes coming forward in any one year. For example, 2006-07 and 2007-08 were characterised by a number of large schemes such as that in Blackpool which was allocated £12 million and £17 million in 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively.

Local authorities can also fund coastal erosion risk management using a number of sources, including central Government specific grants, council tax and formula grant from central Government. The following table gives final outturn estimates of local authority revenue expenditure and financing (i.e. formula grant) for coast protection for the last five financial years. Further details on this expenditure are not held centrally.

The Government have also directly allocated £11 million funding to 15 coastal local authorities through the coastal change pathfinder programme that was announced in December 2009. The pathfinders, working in partnership with their local communities, are exploring a range of new and innovative approaches to help communities adapt to the effects of coastal change (including coastal erosion).