1. What representations he has received about the scale of proposed house building in the south-east; and if he will make a statement. [207359]

We have received the regional assembly's proposals for the east of England for the period up to 2021, which are now out to public consultation and will be considered in a public examination by an independent panel in September. Proposals for house building in the south-east up to 2026 are expected later this year.

I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for that reply. He will be aware that, in November 2004, the East of England regional assembly, which encompasses some south-eastern counties, voted for a house building target of 478,000 dwellings by 2021. In December, the same body withdrew its endorsement for its own target on account of the lack of Government infrastructure funding to accompany the house building. Now that even the Deputy Prime Minister's own quango has turned on him, will he—

Order.

Any judgment about how many houses are needed in the north-east will be considered not only by the proposals—[Hon. Members: "The south-east."] It is the same for the south-east and for the east of England. To be clear, the proposals considered included some parts of the south-east as well as the east of England but, whatever the figures, they will be decided in public consultation. I will then appoint an independent review and it will make judgments about whether there is sufficient transport investment—which I believe there will be—to meet the housing requirements. Let the review make its recommendations, and then I will make a proper judgment about them.

It is rather curious that the hon. Gentleman calls in aid the regional assemblies just when the Conservatives are recommending in the James review to get rid of them as well as the regional government offices that they set up. Some 3,000 people would be made unemployed and the land of the regional development agencies would be sold off. The good, old James proposals go back to the old formula: more on the dole, fewer public services and the typical boom-and-bust policy of the Tories.

We have 8,000 homes in our local plan for the next 10 years. Does my right hon. Friend accept that if the Rushenden link road were built on the Isle of Sheppey it would allow 1,000 extra houses to be built that could be given over to key workers and older people? Some 15,500 older people need housing on the Isle of Sheppey, so will he consider that proposal in the near future?

My hon. Friend has made a considerable contribution to this discussion. As he knows, the proposal is under active consideration by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning. We hope shortly to make a further statement on matters relating to key housing and social housing.

The national land use database reveals that 5,700 hectares of brownfield land have been identified by local authorities as being suitable for housing in the south-east. When that would provide nearly 140,000 new homes, why has less than a third of that land been taken up for housing? Instead of the Deputy Prime Minister's usual bluster, will he confirm that he wants to blitz Britain's countryside because he is absolutely determined to fulfil his pledge that the Labour party invented the green belt and he means to build on it?

That was cutting. Let me give the hon. Gentleman a couple of facts. When we came in, 56 per cent. of houses were built on brownfield sites. The figure has now gone up to 67 per cent. and even beyond the target that we set. That is a remarkable achievement. Secondly, the density of housing has now increased from 25 to 33 per hectare. Therefore, we can now build the 200,000 houses that we need for the south-east on the same amount of land that the Conservatives were building on in 1997.

2. What proportion of local government spending was (a) met by Government grant and (b) raised locally in the 2004–05 financial year. [207360]

In the 2004–05 financial year, budget estimates indicate that 74 per cent. of local government revenue expenditure is being met by Government grant, including redistributed business rates, and 26 per cent. by council tax.

Is not the balance of funding wrong? Should not more money be raised locally so that local councillors are more accountable? Is it not a fact that, ultimately, the council tax is unsustainable? When can we see the results of the Lyons review and action on it?

I have a lot of sympathy for the views expressed by my hon. Friend. As he will know, the balance of funding review reported in July last year and concluded that there are strong arguments for shifting the balance towards more local funding, but that depends on the feasibility and desirability of any measures that might be used to achieve it. That is precisely what the Lyons inquiry is looking at, and it expects to report by the end of this year.

The Minister says that the Lyons review is considering these issues. Will he confirm that it is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000? What support is his Department giving Sir Michael Lyons to ensure that the inquiry's working papers and research are accessible to the public as soon as they are available?

The Lyons inquiry is independent, so the hon. Gentleman should pose his question directly to Sir Michael Lyons himself. However, I assure him that a great deal of detailed work has been done. As he will know, because there was a Liberal Democrat representative on the balance of funding review, all the working papers were made publicly available. He will also know only too well that the evidence makes it clear that his party's proposal for a local income tax is a mistake and that it would be impractical and not in the long-term interests of the country.

When considering local government expenditure and finance, will my right hon. Friend examine the major problem that is developing in many areas because health and social care is funded by the Department of Health and local government? Will he take into consideration the need for local authorities properly to fund health and social care?

My hon. Friend makes a fair point, but he will be aware that under recent settlements there has been a sustained increase in local government funding, with a 33 per cent. increase in real terms since 1997. Specifically, the funding that is targeted on social care has increased above the average, so the Government are well aware of the need and are putting money into local government to ensure that the needs of communities are met without imposing unreasonable council tax increases.

Since 1997, council tax has risen by 70 per cent. and average bills are set to top £1,000—the highest ever. At the same time, council tax receipts to the Treasury have soared by 80 per cent. Does the Minister accept that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been filling the Chancellor's coffers by stealth and that the sooner it is gone, the sooner we can restore fairness and accountability to local government?

In terms of fairness and accountability, when the hon. Lady's party was in power grants to local government were cut year after year and local authorities were faced with the real problem of trying to meet local needs without adequate finance. Since this Government have been in power, the grant to local government has increased by 33 per cent. in real terms, which has enabled councils to budget prudently. If she were really worried about council tax, she would be talking to Conservative councils, because they had the unenviable record last year of setting larger increases than Labour councils—5.4 per cent. compared with 4.7 per cent. Labour is leading the way on keeping council tax down.

How much of Liverpool's growing success does my right hon. Friend attribute to the Government's increased funding for its local services?

My hon. Friend makes a good point. It has been possible for councils throughout the country to make real improvements, as the comprehensive performance assessment published by the Audit Commission at the end of last year demonstrated. There have been real improvements to performance, and public needs have been met more effectively because of much more generous funding from the Government, and we are proud of that.

3. When he next expects to meet representatives of county councils from East Anglia to discuss house building targets. [207361]

The East of England regional assembly produced a draft spatial strategy in November, which included modest increases in house building figures. The Government will give their response to the proposals in the course of the public consultation that is under way and will be followed by an examination in public later this year. Of course, if the Conservative party were to come to power during that period, its planned £1 billion cut to the housing budget would mean fewer homes for the sons and daughters of hard-working families in the east of England, less affordable housing and more homelessness.

Is the Minister not aware that his house building targets for East Anglia have met overwhelming opposition—even the East of England regional assembly rejected them? Does he not understand that people in Norfolk want more affordable housing for local people, not thousands of ugly four-bedroom homes on greenfield sites that will be bought by commuters, second-home owners and retired people?

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the East of England regional assembly voted in favour of the new planning figures before the Tories on it voted against them a fortnight later. He talks about affordable housing, but the fact of matter is that the east of England region has received the highest increase in new investment for affordable housing—50 per cent.—of any region in the country. Under the proposals in the James report, all that investment would be removed, so what would the hon. Gentleman say to his constituents whose children are desperately in need of homes in which to live?

Could those representatives and the representatives of all other Tory authorities be advised of the implications not only for housing but for a range of Government initiatives directed at the poorest sections of society if the act of wilful vandalism promised by the shadow Chancellor were ever to be visited on the Department?

My hon. Friend is entirely right. That set of proposals would devastate investment in our cities, investment in housing and investment in essential local services. The Conservatives will be held responsible in the months ahead, and we look forward to their having to account to themselves and their electorate for such devastating proposals.

May I point out to the Minister that his Government's record on building social housing and reducing homelessness is a good deal worse than that of the last Conservative Government? May I serve notice on him that the people of Great Bromley, Elmstead and Frating do not want a Labour-inspired new town imposed on rural Essex? Rural north Essex is not for sale.

The hon. Gentleman ought to revisit his statistics. The Government are investing three times the level of funding for new social housing that we inherited in 1997. Under the new proposals only an additional one in eight new homes is proposed for the east of England region. If those homes are not to be delivered, he must explain to families in his constituency why their children, who are so desperately in need of new homes, will not receive them and why the Conservative party opposes that provision.

4. What steps his Department is taking to identify and spread good practice by local government in housing renewal work. [207362]

The Department is fully committed to improving the quality of the private sector housing stock by encouraging, through financial support and guidance, the development of innovative housing renewal policies by local authorities. In particular, the Department is supporting the work of the four councils awarded beacon status for housing renewal in 2004. I am pleased to put on record the excellent leadership role played by Bristol city council as one of those four beacon authorities.

Indeed. Bristol city council's housing section has been awarded additional funding, particularly in connection with training for the health and safety ratings system, and in relation to houses in multiple occupation it has involved the police, the fire service and the university in that training. Will my hon. Friend join me in commending the department's staff for the quality and range of the work that they are doing?

My hon. Friend is right. I am delighted to congratulate the staff of Bristol council and its partnership agencies with which they have been working to protect the health and safety of the most vulnerable tenants, who are at the forefront of our drive to improve housing conditions. We would like other local councils to follow the example of authorities such as Bristol in establishing those strong partnerships so that we can protect vulnerable families in high-risk housing. Such families would suffer most from the £1 billion cuts to housing budgets that the Opposition would inflict on local authorities, were they ever to get into power.

Is it the Minister's experience after two years that the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 is working better than the old Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996? If so, will he say how many properties have benefited in kind or in cash, excluding those that were being helped and continue to be helped by disabled facilities grants—about 27,000 grants a year?

I may not be able to give a detailed reply now to the hon. Gentleman's questions about people with disabilities, but the regulatory reform order on housing renewal has been very successful. It has given housing authorities greater discretion in giving grants, loans and equity release packages to homeowners, as well as the grants. We set a target to increase the proportion of vulnerable households in the private sector who live in decent homes from 57 per cent. in 2001 to 70 per cent. in 2010. That is good news for those vulnerable households. I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the details that he asked for. I might also include in the note the potential impact of the £1 billion cut in housing budgets that the Tory party would inflict on those vulnerable households and families.

I am sure that my hon. Friend would like to identify as an example of good practice the work of Sheffield city council and tenants' representatives in the city in consulting on and then developing and creating the citywide and area arm's-length management organisations, which will certainly improve the city's housing in the next few years and bring it to a decent standard. Will he give an assurance that, as part of the internal review on ALMOs, there will be no reduction in the funding available to ALMOs to create decent homes, and that there will be no attempt to remove the right of ALMO tenants to have their homes remain in the ownership of the city council, which is one of their most important features?

I am happy to congratulate Sheffield on its excellent record. The important feature of an ALMO is that the stock remains in the ownership of the local authority. There are now 50 ALMOs covering a total of some 700,000 council homes—about one in three of all local authority stock. That is a remarkable achievement. Those homes are being improved. Hundreds of millions of pounds are being spent—with another £2 billion being invested to upgrade homes in the social sector—to ensure that vulnerable people, people from all walks of life, have decent homes in which to live.

5. If he will make a statement on enforcement action available to local authorities in respect of unauthorised Travellers' sites. [207363]

Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers available to prevent inappropriate development. They need more powers to be able to take swift action to prevent damage from being done, and that is why we are introducing temporary stop notices. We also expect local councils to do more to identify appropriate sites so that Gypsies and Travellers have somewhere else to go.

Middlewich and the surrounding areas in my constituency have been blighted over a number of years by illegal encampments, and local residents believe that the Human Rights Act 1998 militates against the law-abiding citizen. Notwithstanding the Minister's reply, even more robust powers are needed to allow local authorities to seize and remove illegally parked caravans, and to allow courts to levy fines that—

Order. The hon. Lady is making a speech.

The hon. Lady will know that I obviously cannot comment on the details of her individual case, but I can say that local councils have powers to remove caravans at the end of the planning process, for example, and the police can take action where there are unauthorised encampments. I disagree with her concerns about the Human Rights Act, which insists that the rights and responsibilities of Gypsies and Travellers be considered, but also the rights and responsibilities of the settled community. The real underlying problem here is that we do not have enough appropriate sites for Gypsies and Travellers to move on to. If we expand the number of appropriate sites, it will be possible to take much swifter action. More enforcement is needed, but that needs to go hand in hand with local councils doing more to identify appropriate sites as well.

Does my hon. Friend agree that the real problem is the lack of sites for Travellers, and is it not high time that local authorities were forced to provide sites and to ensure that under the planning system Travellers can buy land to provide sites?

The Select Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which my hon. Friend chairs, has done some important work on the issue. I agree that we need more sites, and that is why we are consulting on new planning guidance, which would oblige local authorities to identify sites in their local plans, and if they did not the planning inspector would be able to intervene.

6. If he will make a statement on the provision of quality affordable housing. [207364]

Investment in affordable housing will be about £2 billion in 2007–08—double what it was in 1997. This will provide for 75,000 new social homes for rent by 2008 and help a further 40,000 into home ownership. New build homes from that programme will fulfil regionally identified needs and reach the demanding standards for design quality and environmental performance.

Does the Deputy Prime Minister accept that quality affordable housing often forms part of a larger development? Does he therefore accept from me that the housing moratorium that exists in my constituency is very damaging indeed to the provision of affordable housing? Will he therefore remove that moratorium to enable the economic progress of my constituency to continue and to enable affordable housing to be provided?

rose—

Order. Before the Deputy Prime Minister replies, I say to the House that the noise is intolerable. [Hon. Members: "Hear, hear."] Perhaps those who are cheering me on will take heed.

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that we have improved the quality and design of the houses built, which are reaching a far higher standard. There is no moratorium with regard to social housing. I have looked into the figures, and I can say that there is no moratorium for new homes in Macclesfield; indeed, there are 12,790 additional homes each year, and 1,600 of them will be in Cheshire. That is hardly a moratorium. He must recall that, when he was in the previous Administration, housing investment halved in its last four years, while it has doubled under this Government, providing more homes. I suggest that he talks to those on his Front Bench, as the recent James proposal would take £1 billion out of housing in his constituency and everyone else's.

Given the increasing number of homeless people throughout the United Kingdom—it is starting to rise in every council area—does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that we should be building houses or encouraging local authorities to spend money to build houses for rent for these unfortunate people?

We have more than doubled the amount of investment since we came to power, and we are encouraging local authorities to invest more in both the improvement of housing and other proposals, even building new housing. I will make a statement about this matter shortly. It is of absolute importance that we build more homes in both the public and private sectors, and we are doing that, but as my hon. Friend will be aware, we inherited such a backlog that we still have some way to go.

How many of those new affordable homes will be council houses? The Deputy Prime Minister must accept that the private sector has not delivered, that housing associations do not have enough resources and that the number of new council houses built by new Labour is only 3,000 in seven years. The Thatcher Tory Government built 350,000 council houses in their first seven years in power.

The hon. Gentleman has asked a great deal of questions about housing, so he must surely be aware that he should take into account how many social houses are being provided. I understand the point about council housing, but many houses are built by the Housing Corporation, and transform building will improve many houses, so it is a different category of definition. I say to the hon. Gentleman that I am not against building council houses, but at the moment there is a desperate need for us to put the investment back into improving the £19 billion disinvestment in council housing that had taken place when we came to power in 1997. Bringing 2 million houses up to decent standards is our objective, and we are on our way to completing it.

7. If he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry extending funding approved for remedial work and development at the former Avenue Cokeworks site in north-east Derbyshire to the clearing up of the connected tar beds deposited at Grassmoor lagoons. [207365]

The Government of course accept that they have inherited a liability in respect of the Grassmoor site. My hon. Friend is aware that the Department of Trade and Industry has agreed to fund a study, which is already under way and will, we hope, be completed around May this year, to update the remediation strategy on that site.

Is my hon. Friend aware that Grassmoor lagoons are in the middle of a country park and contain residue from a cocktail of chemicals deposited in liquid from nearby Avenue cokeworks, which was closed 12 years ago, although it is brought back to life when it rains, creating many problems in the area? Now that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has supplied a very welcome £104 million to tackle the problems of Avenue cokeworks, does that not add to the case for the Grassmoor lagoons to be dealt with, which means that we should encourage the Department of Trade and Industry to act quickly?

I have some good news for my hon. Friend and his neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner): the Department of Trade and Industry has already put aside an additional £4 million to cover liabilities at the Grassmoor site, and it will make a further announcement once the strategy is complete. That is good news for the environment and the local community. In sharp contrast, the Conservative party would make cuts through its £1 billion attack on the ODPM and the housing budget.

8. If he will make a statement on his planned regionalisation of fire and rescue control rooms. [207366]

The plan to replace the existing 46 control rooms in England with a network of nine regional control centres is being implemented for reasons of resilience and public safety. The new centres will ensure more effective responses to local, regional or national incidents, while also allowing a more efficient redeployment of resources.

Is the Minister aware of the enormous opposition to that scheme across the country from councils, local people and the fire service itself? Why does he feel that all those people are wrong and that he is right? Will he take into account the circumstances in Gloucestershire, where the fire and rescue service emergency room has recently moved into a new tristar centre? His proposal is not only expensive but wrong.

Everyone who examines the issue closely realises that the new investment will provide enormous gains through better technology, which will identify where calls come from and automatically mobilise those appliances best placed to respond to them. When people understand the implications, they welcome the investment, which will improve the quality of the service and save lives. As far as Gloucestershire is concerned, his county's current tri-service arrangement involves the expenditure of £112 on each incident, whereas the cost of the regional control centre will be £52 per incident. Halving the cost will allow money to be spent on fire prevention and saving lives.

1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 12 January. [207344]

Before I list my engagements, and in view of my statement to the House on Monday on the tsunami, I shall update the House on the current figures for British losses. The number of confirmed dead remains at 51. The number of category 1 missing—those most likely to be lost— is, including the 51 confirmed dead, now 410, which is down from 453 on Monday. The category 2 figure—those unaccounted for but not in the highly likely category—now stands at 624, which is down from 871 on Monday.

I am sure that all hon. Members will join me in sending our warmest congratulations to the newly elected Palestinian President, Abu Mazen. Let us hope that his victory with a strong majority and strong mandate will give us the chance to move the middle east peace process forward.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I will have further such meetings later today.

Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Redcar steelworks, which won a contract in December to export all the steel that it can produce for the next 10 years? The regional development agency supported that process, as it recently supported investment in the Teesside chemicals industry. Unemployment in my constituency is now being slashed. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that RDAs are not cut from future budgets?

I congratulate my hon. and learned Friend's constituents on winning the necessary contracts for steel production in Redcar and elsewhere. Under this Government, the RDAs will continue to have the budget that they need to make a difference to thousands of jobs up and down this country. We therefore completely reject the Conservative party's proposals, which are to cut the budgets of the RDAs, to put more people in the dole queue and to place our local economies at risk.

I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his statement on the victims of the tsunami. I wholeheartedly join him in the congratulations that he has expressed to Abu Mazen. I am sure that the whole House hopes that the election will mark a significant step forward in the middle east peace process.

When the Chancellor told the Prime Minister that

"there is nothing that you could ever say to me now that I could ever believe",

how did the Prime Minister reply?

I am afraid that the question does not arise, since the Chancellor did not say that to me; the claim in the book happens to be wrong.

Let us turn to the issue of substance and policy. Since the right hon. and learned Gentleman has mentioned the Chancellor, let us talk about the economy. Perhaps he will explain why under this Government, since 1997, there are 2 million more jobs, and perhaps he will confirm that when he was Employment Secretary there were 1 million more unemployed. I know that the Conservative party does not want to hear that, but that is what they will be hearing from now until polling day.

The Prime Minister denies that the Chancellor said those things, but the Chancellor yesterday had every opportunity to deny them and, as we all know, he pointedly refused to deny them. Perhaps the Prime Minister is the only person who did not notice. What the Chancellor said could not be more damning. He said that

"There is nothing that you could ever say to me now that I could ever believe".

Why did the Chancellor not deny that yesterday?

Both the Chancellor and I have dismissed what is in books as the tittle-tattle that it is. Let us turn to another policy issue. The right hon. and learned Gentleman said yesterday that it is time that we focused on the people's priorities, so let us focus on one: mortgages. Will he confirm—[Interruption.]

Order. The Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister are allowed some leeway during Prime Minister's Question Time.

When the right hon. and learned Gentleman was a member of the last Conservative Government, interest rates were at 15 per cent. for a year and at 10 per cent. for four years. Under this Government they have been halved. Is not that what we should focus on?

The Chancellor says what we all think: the Prime Minister goes on and on about all these things but no one believes a word he says. The Prime Minister can clear all this up very simply. Did he ever say to the Chancellor that he was going to stand down before the election—yes or no?

I have dealt with that on a number of occasions. I have explained why no one does deals over jobs such as this. That has been said constantly.

The right hon. and learned Gentleman said that no one would believe a word we say. Well, there are 2 million more jobs. Mortgage rates have been half of what they were under the Conservative Government. Mortgages, inflation and unemployment are the lowest that they have been for over 30 years. Which one of those statements is false?

The Prime Minister says—[Interruption.] The Prime Minister says that he does not do deals over his job, but he did a deal over his job over dinner at Granita. He did a deal over dinner at Admiralty house. He is the deals on meals Prime Minister. No wonder the Chancellor is not a happy eater.

Now let me tell the Prime Minister why these things matter. The spokesman for senior civil servants has said that

"Number Ten and the Treasury . . . have . . . conflicting and competing agendas for Government".

He said that

"Departments . . . have to try to make sense of this battle".

He also said:

"It's not good Government."

This is something that goes directly to the heart of Government. That is why it is important. So let me ask the Prime Minister again: did he tell the Chancellor that he would stand down? Does he deny it—yes or no?

I have already dealt with that on a number of occasions and I have no intention of going back over it again.

I notice that the right hon. and learned Gentleman did not deny a single one of the economic facts that I gave him. Perhaps he will also confirm this: that as well as the economic record on low mortgages, low inflation, low levels of unemployment, and high levels of employment, waiting lists are now down by more than 300,000 on the number that we inherited from him, and primary school results are now up from just over half the kids getting them to almost 75 per cent. Perhaps he will also confirm this: that under this Government, there are 12,000 more police officers. When he was Home Secretary, he cut the numbers of police officers by 1,000—true or false?

Crime fell by 18 per cent. when I was Home Secretary—that is all anybody needs to know about my record. The Prime Minister wants to talk about his record, so I will tell him about it. We have more than 1 million children playing truant from schools, we have more people dying from hospital infections than dying on Britain's roads, and there are more than 1 million violent crimes. How can there be discipline in schools when there is no discipline in Government? How can they clean up our hospitals when they cannot clean up their act? How can they fight crime when they are fighting each other?

I can tell the right hon. and learned Gentleman very simply. At long last, we have got on to our record, so let us be quite clear what it is: under this Government, we have economic stability and success. When he was a member of the last Government, there were two recessions. People remember the negative equity, the high mortgages and the 3 million unemployed. They remember what happened under the last Conservative Government, and they remember something else that I have not mentioned before—that he was the Minister responsible for introducing the poll tax. [Interruption.] Well, come on—true or false? Did he introduce it? Yes, he did. Therefore, at the next election, whenever it comes, he can stick up whatever he likes on billboards about something in a book, but what the public will concentrate on are the low mortgages, low inflation and low unemployment that we delivered and he failed to.

Is not one of the questions that will interest the people of this country for many years to come that of baby bonds, which come into full effect in April? Am I not right in saying that we need to give full publicity to this, because it not only starts people off with a pocket of money but enables others to put money into those accounts to encourage saving and, above all, to help to end poverty when those youngsters reach the age of 18 with a significant sum of money for the future?

I agree entirely with what my hon. Friend says about baby bonds—the child trust fund—which will be very popular in the country and will help to encourage saving as well as giving young people some stake in the future of the country. However, there are other areas, such as child care, where we are extending the boundaries and frontiers of the welfare state. That is why it is so important that we continue the investment in such things throughout the next few years, and why the Conservatives' proposals, which would cut public spending in some of these vital areas, would be so disastrous for Britain.

I am sure that the Prime Minister would wish to join me in paying tribute to the emergency personnel across the north of England and the length and breadth of Scotland who are coping with the severity of the atrocious weather of the past few hours. Indeed, Mr. Brian Downie, the principal emergency planning officer of the Highland region, described it to me earlier today as the worst that he has experienced professionally in almost 20 years. I am sure that we are all grateful to these people, who are working tirelessly and in dangerous conditions to restore power and other services to people throughout the communities affected.

Turning to a political issue, does the Prime Minister acknowledge that the Chancellor's proposal for a Marshall plan for Africa can be realised only if the United States, in particular, were to come on board? Does he agree that one of the best ways to convince President Bush of this approach and to support the international finance facility is to ensure that it is based on the principle of good governance within Africa and on the fact that people can be reassured, not least in the States, that the money that is being given is used properly for the purposes for which it was given?

On the first point, it is right to pay tribute to all who have been involved in the emergency response to the floods—the fire, ambulance and police services, the local authorities, the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the coastguard, mountain rescue and those involved in the military aspect. We should also thank the voluntary organisations, because they are helping to care for those affected. I offer condolences, I am sure on behalf of the House, to the families of those killed and extend sympathy to those who are experiencing stress and structural damage to their homes. My hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Agri-environment will respond to an urgent question in the House on that afterwards.

On the Africa plan that we intend to put to the G8 this year, the international finance facility is one way, although not the only way, to extend the amount of aid that will be available to Africa. I also entirely agree that good governance and, for example, conflict resolution must form part of the plan that we intend to present.

I thank the Prime Minister for both replies. He will know about the interest in recent reports that he may be considering merging the Foreign Office with the Department for International Development, to create a new super-Ministry. Is that proposal under active consideration? If so, does the Prime Minister believe that the Chancellor of the Exchequer might consider that post to be the suitable job promotion that he is looking for?

I am sorry to say that that is not under consideration. The creation of a special Department for International Development has been a worthwhile innovation by the Government. There was some nervousness about it in many quarters—possibly even in some parts of the Foreign Office—when it happened. However, one of the most interesting aspects of events in the past seven and a half years has been the establishment of our Department for International Development as probably the most respected such Department in the world. I want to keep it that way.

In connection with the recent extreme weather conditions in many parts of the United Kingdom, will the Prime Minister join me in expressing special appreciation to the employees of the power companies who have worked so valiantly to keep the power supply going, often in treacherous conditions? Will he also acknowledge that the robustness of the power infrastructure in any part of the country in such circumstances is directly related to ongoing investment and maintenance? We therefore welcome the recent Ofgem price review, which made some progress on that, but will my right hon. Friend ensure that every corner of the country is served by power infrastructure companies that are obliged to make the necessary investment at all times to avoid power cuts when such conditions occur?

My right hon. Friend is right. I am happy to pay tribute to the work of the employees of the power companies. I should add that it is also important to maintain the investment in flood defences, which is now approximately £570 million a year, or due to be that amount in the next financial year. I am afraid that that shows the extent of the investment that we have to make to deal with what people increasingly regard as changed weather circumstances that have something of a permanent feature. That is one reason why it is important for the G8 to focus on climate change as well as Africa.

2. In the past three years, I have spent much time interrogating civil servants. On all occasions, I have found them to be frustratingly loyal to Government in presenting Government policy as a seamless robe. How, therefore, does the Prime Minister respond to Mr. Jonathan Baume, the leader of the First Division Association—the mandarins' union—who recently said, not in a book but in a recorded statement, that civil servants were having difficulty in making sense of the competing agendas of No. 10 and the Treasury? If civil servants are loyal to Government, is not loyalty a two-way street? [207345]

As I told the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) a moment ago, the Government's agenda is clear on the economy and investment in public services. The most important thing is to point out that, for example, last Friday, we had the waiting list figures for the national health service, compiled on exactly the same basis as they have been compiled for years, and as a result not only of investment but of reform in the NHS, they are at their lowest since records began. Now that is a demonstration of the Government's commitment.

I understand civil servants' anxiety, particularly when we are asking for big job reductions in the civil service, but we can see in the record of this Government the ability not just to run the economy well but to invest in public services. I should like to quote back to the hon. Gentleman something that he said on the "Politics Show" a short time ago:

"What I believe is that if you want to spend more money on the NHS, if you want to spend more money on state education, you are going to vote Labour".

I fully endorse those sentiments.

3. In the run-up to Christmas last year, UK lenders sent out 140 million unsolicited, pre-approved credit card application forms, and a similar number of unsolicited, pre-approved personal loan applications. Does the Prime Minister condemn the tactics used by many credit card companies and banks to encourage families to take on levels of debt that they cannot possibly afford? Will he consider further measures to curb this irresponsible marketing? [207346]

My hon. Friend is right on the general point that he makes about the importance of legislation such as the Consumer Credit Bill, which I understand has its Commons Second Reading tomorrow. That is obviously important. There is also an action plan, which we published last July. In the priorities that it sets out for work by consumer credit companies, banks and others, the access to affordable credit and high-quality, free debt advice is central. I agree that it is important that the powers that these companies have should be exercised responsibly, and we will do our level best to ensure that they are.

In case after case before the courts, local authorities have lost out to Travellers pleading the human rights agenda in defence of unauthorised encampments. Are the Government willing to legislate to stop human rights laws being used to drive a coach and horses through our planning system, as the Leader of the Opposition has pledged a Conservative Government would do?

We have the new enforcement notices coming into provision this week—

indicated dissent.

Before the hon. Gentleman shakes his head, perhaps he will listen to my answer. This is a new power that will allow local authorities to act very quickly indeed. However, let me make it clear that, if the experience of that new power—which local authorities and others say will be both necessary and important in enforcing the law properly—turns out to be inadequate, we will look at this again. I entirely agree that the interests of the ordinary public have to come first, but we want to ascertain, first of all, whether the legislation that we already have is deficient in some way before we look at fresh legislation. We believe that it will not be deficient, and that it will work.

4. After years in development, the business case for the revised Paddington health campus has just been submitted to the Department of Health. This is the most prestigious and ambitious hospital development to have been attempted in this country, and the benefits will be huge. It will mean new facilities, and clinical and financial benefits, for international institutions such as the Brompton, Harefield and St. Mary's hospitals. It has been a difficult scheme to develop because it is ambitious and complex, but the cost of failure would be very great. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that it proceeds with all speed, as we are now within reach of one of the finest jewels in the NHS crown? [207347]

I know that the Minister of State, Department of Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton), is attending a meeting next week to discuss this, and I actually know a bit about it myself, having seen the site. It is an extraordinary, imaginative design. My hon. Friend will know that, as a result of the action already taken, in-patient and out-patient waiting lists and the amount of time people have to wait at the accident and emergency department at St. Mary's are already substantially down from 1997. These will be state-of-the-art facilities that will serve not only that part of London but, in some respects, the whole of the country for years to come. Again, it is an example of why it is so important that we keep the investment programme in our national health service going. Under this Government, it will be kept going.

Does the Prime Minister recall promising in 1999 that anybody wishing to access NHS dental provision would be able to do so by the end of 2001? Will he now have the grace to say that that is a broken promise? If, as he says, the Chancellor did not say

"There is nothing that you could ever say to me now that I could ever believe",

many of us believe that the Chancellor should have said it.

I accept that some people are still not getting access to NHS dentists. Let me tell the hon. Gentleman, however, what we are doing: we are bringing some 1,000 new dentists into the service; and we are working with the British Dental Association to try to make sure that we give people access to NHS care. Long-term issues associated with dentistry, however, must also be considered. I accept that these are difficult issues, but it is impossible for anyone to consider the national health service as a whole today, even with problems such as MRSA and others, and to say that it is not definitively better than it was in 1997. Yesterday, I was discussing with health service professionals things that have happened, such as the accident and emergency changes, and they said that whereas a few years ago we were held up at international symposiums as an example of a system that failed, at the most recent international symposium we were held up as an example of the fastest improving service.

5. What the timetable is for the proposed dispersal of civil service jobs; and what plans there are for the relocation of jobs to Ayrshire. [207348]

In broad terms, the timetable is that more than 4,000 posts will have been relocated out of London and the south-east by March 2005, another 6,000 by March 2008, and a further 10,000 by 2010. As I made clear in a letter to my hon. Friend, we are unable to say at this stage how many civil service jobs will be relocated to Ayrshire. Departments are currently working through detailed implementation planning in consultation with stakeholders, including union staff and local stakeholders.

I am grateful for that answer. I am sure that my right hon. Friend will be aware that I asked him a similar question on 10 November and got a similar answer. What he will not be aware of is that, in the interim, some 162 jobs have been lost with the transfer out of my constituency of civil service jobs in the Department for Work and Pensions. Consequently, will he agree to meet a small delegation to discuss this issue?

I will certainly be pleased to receive representations from my hon. Friend on the possibility of jobs being relocated to Ayrshire, and perhaps we can discuss further the possibility of a meeting.

Could I possibly be included in the delegation that comes to see the Prime Minister about this important subject? The hon. Member for Cunninghame, South (Mr. Donohoe) is absolutely right that the Department for Work and Pensions is engaged in a series of centralisation measures that will reduce the numbers of jobs in many areas, such as Galashiels in south-east Scotland, which will feel it hard. Will he also bear in mind, if he is establishing criteria for the dispersal of civil service jobs in future, the fact that many regions will lose European structural funds after 2006, which should also be considered in respect of applications for relocation in future?

Two separate things are happening. First, we are trying to slim down the numbers of people in Government Departments. A lot of pressure comes from both sides of the House to do so. The Department for Work and Pensions, for example, has already announced a reduction in jobs in the region of 30,000. In terms of a global figure, most people support the process, because it makes sure that we spend money more effectively. Secondly, a relocation out of London to other parts of the United Kingdom is taking place. At the moment, I cannot say exactly where those jobs will go. Certainly, I will listen carefully to any representations that Members make, but ultimately, we are trying to balance the need for efficiency in the DWP and elsewhere with relocation out of London. Inevitably, jobs will be displaced from some areas as a result, but that may well be in the interests of the country as a whole.

6. A recent NAO survey revealed that women in Aberdeen earn only two thirds of male earnings—the largest pay gap in the whole of Scotland. While I accept that the Government have done quite a lot to address the gender pay gap, not least with the introduction of the minimum wage, what else can they do to end this inequality? Will my right hon. Friend encourage others, such as employers, to take the issue seriously rather than just shrugging their shoulders? [207349]

My hon. Friend's point is entirely fair, which is why the Women and Work Commission is considering precisely how we bridge the pay gap that still exists, as she rightly says. It is important to point out that only as a result of measures such as the minimum wage, the introduction of tax credits, enhanced maternity leave and enhanced child benefit have we been able to raise the incomes of women. It is important to keep all those measures in place, but the Women and Work Commission will look at some of the more fundamental issues so we can make sure that the equal-pay promise made by a Labour Government back in the 1970s is translated into action.

We understand that the Prime Minister has said that the manifesto on which he intends to fight the next election will be unremittingly new Labour. What words would he use to describe the manifesto on which the Chancellor plans to fight the next election?

Precisely the same. It will be a manifesto that makes sure that we continue the huge economic record, that we continue the investment—[Interruption.] Oh yes—and in particular it will make sure that, unlike the Government of whom the right hon. Gentleman was a member, who put pensioners and children in poverty, we continue with policies that lift pensioners and children out of poverty and create a fairer and stronger country.

7. In view of the Government's excellent work in dealing with antisocial behaviour in recent years, would it not be wise to reconsider the possible implementation of 24-hour drinking by pubs and other licensed premises? Does the Prime Minister not agree that binge drinking is already a very serious problem? What sense is there in allowing pubs to be open day and night? [207350]

I will tell my hon. Friend exactly what I think about this. Obviously it is important for us to listen to representations made to us about it. There is a problem with so-called binge drinking, and there is a problem in many places such as city centres where there is fighting outside pubs on Friday and Saturday nights, and sometimes on Thursday and Sunday nights. It should be remembered that we are also introducing greater powers for the police to shut down premises where such things happen.

My view is very clear. I believe that the law-abiding majority who want to be able, after going to, say, the cinema or theatre, to have a drink at the time they choose should not be inconvenienced. We should not have to have restrictions that no other city in Europe has just to do something about the tiny minority who abuse alcohol—who go out and fight and cause disturbances.

My view is very, very clear. We should have the same flexibility as other countries have, and then we should come down really hard on those who abuse that freedom and do not show responsibility. But to take away that ability from all the population, even the vast majority who are law-abiding, is not in my view sensible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs—

Order. Members are stepping in front of the hon. Gentleman who is addressing the House. That is a discourtesy to him and to the House.

if she will make a statement on the severe weather conditions in Scotland, Northern Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Issues relating to severe weather incidents are devolved to the respective Administrations. However, severe storms have hit Northern Ireland and Scotland in the last 24 hours and caused widespread damage, although full assessments have not yet been made. Let me take this opportunity to express sympathy, on behalf of the whole House, to those who have been affected by the storms, particularly in relation to the tragic deaths that have occurred in the borders and Northern Ireland.

Tidal surge and high winds last night caused widespread coastal flooding in the west of Scotland. Considerable damage was reported in the Lochaber area, with flooding in Fort William and Caol. The River Lochy and the Ness remain above flood-warning levels. Tidal flooding at Fort William and Caol last night was the highest in 10 years, with 20 houses evacuated and cars flooded. We expect a surge on the east coast of England later today, but although we expect flood warnings to be issued it is unlikely to cause serious flooding.

I made a statement to the House yesterday on flooding in northern England, which covered many of these issues.

I am grateful to the Minister for that thoughtful and helpful reply. I am sure that he agrees with me that the storms that have battered large swathes of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England have been particularly devastating and appalling. They have caused unprecedented damage to infrastructure, and many homes throughout those stricken areas remain without electricity or other power. This, of course, is on top of the devastating floods to which the Minister alluded.

I begin by offering my sympathy and condolences to the families of the three people known to have been killed in last evening's storms, including in the fatal incident on the A90 in my constituency. I join the Minister in paying tribute to the tireless work of our emergency and rescue services, which have worked round the clock to ensure that power is reconnected to many stricken communities and damaged infrastructure cleared. It is entirely appropriate to single out the work of the coastguard and the RAF, which as I speak are trying to save a stricken Spanish trawler off the Western Isles.

The Minister will doubtless agree that the priority now is to get Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England moving again. Can he therefore assure me that he is doing all that he can to work closely with the Scottish Executive and local authorities to ensure that the clear-up work is being properly controlled and co-ordinated? Can he also tell me a little about how the Bellwin formula applies in co-ordination with devolved government? As he knows, the Scottish Executive apply that formula, but can further funds be made available to them to help deal with this problem?

Does the Minister agree that the events of recent days highlight the particular nature of Scotland's infrastructure needs, and will he therefore review the excessive charges now being proposed for electricity generators in the highlands and islands and the north-east of Scotland?

The weather in the past few days has shown that we are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Can the Minister therefore assure me that this Government will work with the international community to address the emissions problem, and does he agree that it is ironic that the most stricken areas are perhaps those with the greatest renewables potential?

Lastly, can the Minister assure me that he will do all that he can to ensure that the public receive all necessary warnings about future inclement weather, and that public safety is regarded as absolutely paramount?

As the hon. Gentleman will know, many of the issues that he raises are the responsibility of the devolved Administration, and the Scottish agencies have been working very hard in this regard. I join him in paying tribute to the emergency services, which have responded magnificently. He will be aware that detailed weather forecasts allowed many public and private sector organisations to take steps to mitigate the storm damage by, for example, cancelling trains and ferries. I understand that flood warnings were given and that the relevant system was activated. He might also be interested to know that as part of that process, the long-range RAF Nimrod planes operating in Scotland moved to Lincolnshire, as the severe winds would have prevented their use. As a result, they are able to do an excellent job in giving support to the fishing boat currently in difficulties to the west of Scotland.

I certainly agree with what the hon. Gentleman says about climate change, which is a reality. The 10 years since the beginning of the 1990s have been the warmest on record, and in the past decade we have had double the normal number of extreme weather incidents. We have to take all necessary steps to reduce the risk to people, bearing in mind that we cannot guarantee that extreme incidents or floods will not occur.

My understanding is that the Scottish Executive have a formula similar to the Bellwin formula, which they themselves operate. They will put it in place, according to the rules of the scheme.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on reacting so quickly by going to Carlisle immediately after the devastation occurred. I echo what my right hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) said during Prime Minister's questions: we must pay tribute not just to all the emergency services, which reacted so quickly, but to the electricity and other industries that also responded rapidly.

There is a danger—we saw it with the tsunami disaster and we are seeing it here again—of imagining that we can deal with such forces of nature, solve every problem and hold back the consequences in Canute style. There is also a danger, and the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) came close to it, as do his party colleagues, of sitting in the comfort—

Order. The right hon. Gentleman should resume his seat and the Minister will try to answer now.

rose—

Order.

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Quite apart from the emergency services, tremendous commitment has been demonstrated in all the flood and gale-hit areas by people from the engineering and other utilities who have worked around the clock unstintingly to reconnect supplies of power and, in Northumberland, water that had been disrupted. I must also mention the voluntary sector, as people from the local communities have come forward and offered their time and support to help the people affected.

I agree with what my right hon. Friend said about the effects of the flooding and I can assure him that, whenever there is such a major incident, once the emergency is over, there will always be a full evaluation of what went well and consideration given to what might require further investment, organisation or structure. I am confident that the Scottish Executive and Scottish agencies will do that. It is important to note that we share our experience; indeed, the findings of the Bye report, following the Northampton flood of 1998, have helped us to deal with the recent emergencies. Those circumstances were English, but the findings of the report influenced the emergency structures and preparedness in all the Administrations. Those contingency plans worked well, as we have seen effective and efficient responses to the current emergency.

On behalf of Conservative Members, I add our sympathy to the families of those who have died, and to those injured or otherwise affected by the floods and storms, which have caused the loss of houses and property. I also thank and congratulate everyone who has worked so hard to ensure that as much help as possible has been given. That includes the RAF team, and let us hope that the outcome of its search is positive.

This is probably the first disaster that has affected Scotland since the Scottish Executive were set up. Some of the responsibilities are theirs and some are reserved to Westminster, as the Minister acknowledged. People who have lost homes and belongings will need one-off benefit payments and emergency relief. Can the Minister tell us what Whitehall Departments are doing to ensure that those who need such assistance receive it quickly? Telecommunications and power are also the responsibility of Whitehall. Is the Minister co-ordinating Whitehall Departments to ensure that those services are restored as quickly and efficiently as possible? Apart from the companies that are working exceedingly hard to restore services, can those Departments do more to help?

Will the Minister tell us whether the Scotland Office has any responsibility in all of this and whether it has sufficient resources to help those in need? Given that the Scotland Office is now part of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, are there sufficient staff knowledgeable enough about Scotland to be able to deal with the problems created by the terrible flooding? Given that the part-time Secretary of State for Scotland is in his place next to the Minister, perhaps the Minister will tell us why he, rather than the part-time Secretary of State, is answering.

It is a great shame that the hon. Lady feels the need to make a partisan point about such a serious problem as these gales. I can tell her that the Department for Work and Pensions will offer crisis loans to help those made destitute as a result of the floods if they have no assets or resources. She will be aware that the Government have no facility to help with insurable risks, but limited support may be offered to people who are in severe difficulty.

Dealing with the follow-on of the gales is a matter for the devolved Administrations, all of whom have the well-established contingency arrangements that I have described. Those tried and tested arrangements also cover the post-flood recovery period. Many of the other points raised by the hon. Lady are matters for the devolved Administrations. This urgent question relates to the whole of the UK, and touches on matters for which I have particular responsibility, such as the Meteorological Office, contingency planning and climate change.

May I pay tribute to the work done by the fire and water engineers, who are extremely courageous and, frankly, often very brave in these circumstances? However, the unpalatable and awkward truth is that many of the people affected are either underinsured or—heaven help us—not insured at all. Should not the Government hold discussions with the insurance companies about what might be done? Some families face appalling problems because, whether it is their fault or not, they have neglected to arrange insurance. We might think that they should have done that, but they have not.

My hon. Friend makes a serious point, and I join him in paying tribute to the utilities engineers. Apart from the commitment that I mentioned earlier, they often work in very difficult circumstances to reconnect services.

Clearly, the insurance problem is a serious one. It is important that people are aware of the need for insurance and that they make sure that their cover is satisfactory. In my experience of these large-scale events, the insurance companies often do their very best to assist people in dealing with problems connected with insurance shortfalls, and with reinstatement. In addition, they advise people about how to rebuild properties in a way that will minimise the risk of flooding in the future and the damage that that might cause.

I should also like to express my sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who died or suffered injury as a result of the severe weather. I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues are particularly aware of the difficulties faced by people who are without power and who are living in appalling conditions at present. We are very appreciative of the work being done by the members of the emergency, rescue and voluntary services, as well as by the power engineers.

In the small debate that followed yesterday's urgent question, many concerns were raised about climate change, and we must take a more immediate look at that problem. What assessment have the Government made of the capacity and robustness of the power and water utility companies to restore services as quickly as possible in what are becoming increasingly frequent occurrences? Given the events of the past 24 hours, following the Minister's announcement that the Bellwin scheme would be implemented, has he identified any further assistance that the communities involved may require? What review is he undertaking of the impact of building on floodplains? Not only are those buildings vulnerable themselves, but they cause water to be displaced and affect other properties. Will he be requesting the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to change current planning regulations?

I agree that we must take into account the impact of climate change on infrastructure, such as overhead power cables, the whole national grid, and the water supply. The Government have a climate change programme to study that impact, and the hon. Lady should be aware of the work of the foresight programme, which tries to assess future flood risks as a result of climate change. The Government are committed to taking a precautionary approach to the potential impacts of climatic change, as it would be foolish to assume that those impacts would not be severe.

The hon. Lady asked about applications under the Bellwin formula. She will appreciate that the priority for local authorities is to deal with the immediate flood and gale damage. Local authorities have four weeks after such events to indicate that they intend to apply, so it is rather premature to talk about applications that have been made. However, authorities are well aware of the Bellwin formula rules. If they qualify, they will be assisted through the ODPM in the normal way.

The hon. Lady is right about building on floodplains; roads, hard areas and concrete can affect run-off, too. That must be taken into account in planning applications and guidance has been given to planning authorities, through planning policy guidance note 25, to make it clear that in some cases building may be inappropriate while in other cases where development is appropriate, the developer may have to make a contribution, not only to protect the new development but to mitigate against the possible consequences to existing development.

I add my appreciation to that of the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) for the work of the coastguards, especially those of Her Majesty's coastguard agency, Clyde, based at Greenock in my constituency.

This is the first significant test for the new provisions under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, although it may be too early to tell whether they have had an improved impact on the performance of the agencies. As the coastguard modernises, changes and takes on additional responsibilities, is not this a timely reminder that we must not lose sight of its core function, which is to save those whose lives may be in danger at sea? If it takes on other responsibilities, can we ensure that there is still specialised training for volunteers, who often put their own lives at risk to save those in peril on the sea?

My hon. Friend is right. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency played an extremely valuable role in the emergency. It is probably a bit too early to see the effects of the civil contingencies provisions, and I repeat the point that all local authorities, whether in England or in the devolved Administrations, have existing contingency plans and we have seen them put into action. I also repeat that, after a large-scale event of this kind, we would expect an evaluation and lessons learned, which will feed through to individual agencies, such as the coastguard, as well as to local authorities and other groups.

I join the Minister in passing the condolences of the House and of my party to those who died in such extreme weather conditions. We commend all those involved in the emergency services.

My question relates to one of the fatalities in Northern Ireland. The Foyle bridge in Londonderry is normally closed when weather conditions less extreme than those predicted yesterday occur. Will the Minister liaise with the Northern Ireland Office to establish why the bridge was not closed yesterday?

The hon. Gentleman makes an important and serious point. As he will appreciate, I cannot give him an answer at the moment, but I assure him that I will contact the Northern Ireland Office to ensure that his point is addressed.

Although the Minister gave reassuring information about the response of the insurance industry, will he hold discussions with insurers about the future terms and cover that they will offer people living in the affected areas?

Yes, I meet the Association of British Insurers, the trade body, regularly, as do my hon. Friends at the Treasury, who have the lead responsibility in dealing with insurance companies. We have a good relationship with the ABI; there is clearly a range of issues of interest, not least the provision of insurance cover, its availability and cost. We want a strong and robust market for insurance cover so that consumers have a range of choices and can thus choose the best price and the best cover for their circumstances.

My colleagues and I congratulate the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on his urgent question, and we welcome the responses that the Minister has given so far. On behalf of my colleagues, I express our condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives in those extreme weather conditions and pay tribute to all the emergency services.

The Larne to Cairnryan ferry was grounded overnight. Thankfully, there were no injuries or loss of life, as far as I am aware, but it is disappointing that the Minister was not fully briefed about the situation in Northern Ireland—one would have thought that he would have been. Can he confirm that the 19 men on board the missing fishing vessel that had lost contact due to loss of power are safe and likely to be rescued?

I can certainly answer the hon. Gentleman's question about the fishing boat. I am glad to say that an RAF Nimrod, which has been operating from RAF Waddington—very close to my constituency—found the fishing vessel. The boat has lost power and although the crew are safe at the moment, the vessel is in danger and in difficulties. I understand that the Nimrod is on standby in the area and has asked for assistance from other vessels to tow the boat to safer waters.

Does my hon. Friend agree that although we cannot control the forces of nature, episodes such as this demonstrate why it is essential to have a Government who are committed to high levels of investment in the public infrastructure? I have two examples. Largs in my constituency has always been the victim of such flooding; in recent years, there has been a flood investment programme, funded by the Scottish Executive and—touch wood—it appears to have been effective last night. Secondly, I spoke to Scottish Power this morning. In 1998, there was a six-figure number of disconnections—more than 100,000. The number is 6,000 for the current year. Conditions are not identical, but there has been a massive programme of tree lopping, strengthening the infrastructure and raising the wires. All of that makes the difference, when the day comes, between power cuts and continuity of supply.

I can certainly confirm to my right hon. Friend that the Scottish Executive have given high priority to their financial commitment to flood defence and to taking the action on infrastructure that he outlined to try to minimise destruction and damage from extreme weather events of this type. In England and Wales, the flood defence budget has been increased from £300 million in 1997 to a projected £570 million for the next financial year. That is a significant commitment by the Government, who are working hard to reduce risk for people in all our countries.

The Minister will be aware that this morning, by coincidence, the Environment Agency published its report on the devastating flood in Boscastle and surrounding north Cornwall villages. He has already indicated that it is extremely important to learn lessons from every episode, not least, as he has just said, in relation to insurance cover, risk assessment by the Environment Agency and planning. Can he go a step further than the Prime Minister was able to do earlier and indicate how important it is to see the direct linkage between incidents of severe weather impact on the United Kingdom and climate change? As the Government are in a leading position in the G8, what new initiative do they intend to take to raise the priority of dealing with climate change, especially in relation to our American partners and the United States President?

The Environment Agency report on Boscastle is significant and useful; it goes into the background to the Boscastle flood in considerable detail. The report is not only useful for the people of Boscastle; it concludes that the flood was one of the most extreme weather events ever recorded in this country, so in terms of risk, it gives some reassurance for the future. Furthermore, the findings of the report on the nature of the flood will be helpful in assessing risk for all communities living in steep-sided valleys, so it is also useful in that sense.

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the Prime Minister has given an international lead on the priority for climate change. In the G8 presidency, which the hon. Gentleman mentioned, climate change and Africa will be key themes. As part of that, the UK is hosting a major international science conference at the Hadley centre in February, when there will be an opportunity to look at the science of climatic change and address important issues. For example, what is the risk in relation to global warming, and what are the long-term consequences? I agree that climate change is a global issue, and that it is essential that every nation plays its part, particularly industrial nations, including the one that is the biggest single polluter.

I understand from Highland council this morning that 20,000 homes are without power in the area. Many of those homes are in my constituency, where there is no power from the south Sutherland border on the west coast across to Tongue on the north coast. Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to Highland council and to the valiant efforts by the utilities engineers to restore power as well as other services? What studies are being made of tidal action? I understand from a conversation this morning that we have the highest tides in living memory at Scrabster, and water is washing the bottom of my house in Thurso—I certainly do not remember that happening before. What studies are being made of tidal movement, as opposed to flooding?

Again, I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's comments about the utility companies and their staff, who are working hard to reconnect the power. He is quite right about tidal action and the risk of floods. Following the 1953 disaster, this country probably has one of the most sophisticated tidal surge prediction and warning systems in the North sea, which we share with Holland and France. It enables us to predict tidal movements with some accuracy, and we also have warning systems and contingency plans. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, a surge is predicted in the North sea and on the west coast of Scotland. However, because of the nature of the tides at present, significant flooding is not expected.

Two significant rivers, the Clywedog and the Severn, originate in my constituency. Is the Minister aware of an experiment carried out over the past few years to drop the level of the reservoirs, thereby reducing flooding during periods of severe weather in the Severn valley and elsewhere? Would he look at that successful experiment, and consider rolling it out elsewhere? Does he accept that there is no doubt at all that much of the climate change that we are experiencing is a direct consequence of the polluting activities of human beings?

Yes, I am aware of work to lower the level of reservoirs in winter and possible storm periods so that there is capacity for a surge. Although that is useful, the hon. Gentleman will appreciate that in a large-scale storm and extreme weather a reservoir is quickly overwhelmed. Although that practice has some benefit, it will not stop widespread flooding. Nevertheless, that possibility is being looked at. As for climate change, it is a fact and a reality, and there is no doubt that it is caused by the activities of humans. ??