6. Statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:38 pm on 12 March 2019.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 4:38, 12 March 2019

I thank Vikki Howells for those questions, and you, too, articulated, I think, very eloquently about the impact on people who experience flooding. And even just being evacuated from a train, I can imagine how stressful that could be. And of course we are aware of what happened in your constituency with storm Callum.

I think it's absolutely vital that individuals have the latest information and are able to access information very quickly around flooding risk. Obviously, with NRW, you can sign up and you can have information, and we are looking at updating that going forward.

You referred to local authorities and the small-scale works grants, and I've certainly had many discussions with local authorities about the very positive impact this grant has had. Over the past four years, we've provided about £5 million to local authorities to undertake small-scale works to reduce flood risk. I think, altogether now, it's protected about 6,000 homes and businesses, which again, I think if—. There are much wider benefits to be got from the small schemes, but I think local authorities, before we had this much more simplified application process, weren't applying, because they were looking at the big picture and not seeing the benefits that these very small schemes brought forward. So, I think that funding has been very welcome and I'm very pleased to be bringing forward another £1 million in the next round. Twenty-one of the 22 local authorities have applied and been successful in accessing that funding, so I think it shows that the simplified process is working.

I mentioned afforestation in my answer to Llyr Huws Gruffydd, and I think this is one of the benefits of having our own agricultural policy here in Wales, and I think, under the public goods scheme for things that haven't got a market at the moment, we will be able to encourage farmers, for instance, to look at having more woodland on their farms.

Around EU funding, yes—what's the European Union ever done for us? I think you're absolutely right. It's a huge sum of money that comes into Wales from the European Union. You'll be aware that, before the referendum, we were promised that we would not lose a penny, and everyone on this front bench is ensuring that we hold the UK Government to that, because it would create a massive gap.