31 January 2012 Guardian

Committee claims large coalition cuts leave significant shortfall in protection of 5m UK homes at risk of flood damage. 

Government cuts have left a "big mismatch" between the money available for flood defences and that needed to maintain protection for the 5m UK homes at risk of flooding, a powerful group of MPs has said. "The annual cost of flood damage is at least £1.1bn and ageing defences and climate change will increase that bill," said the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chair, Margaret Hodge. "So flood protection is a national priority.

The Department of Environment sees more funding coming from local sources [but] we are sceptical this will be possible when local authorities and businesses are themselves under financial pressure." A landmark study on the risks posed to the UK by global warming published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on 26 January showed increased flooding was by far the greatest threat, with damage forecast to rise by up to 10 times. 

View the full article at the Guardian.