Flooding: Rural Communities Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ben Spencer
Main Page: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)Department Debates - View all Ben Spencer's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1 day, 10 hours ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Emma Hardy
I would not want to advise the right hon. Gentleman, but I think hearts and minds is always a good way to win things in the Department. I do feel confident. There is a conversation about dredging, and the question of whether it is appropriate often comes up. When I have conversations with those from the Environment Agency, their response to me is, “It depends.” It depends on the river, it depends on where the flooding is, and it depends whether we want to move something quickly. Certainly, from everything they have told me, there is not a set policy against something; they just want to do what is best in the area. Of course, if hon. Members have examples that they want me to follow up, I am happy to hear them.
Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)
We are still waiting for delivery of the River Thames scheme in my area. While that is happening, we would be very grateful for some dredging, because at the moment there is no River Thames flood alleviation scheme. Will the Minister take this opportunity to reconfirm the Government’s commitment to delivering the River Thames scheme, which affects my constituency but also the neighbouring constituency of Spelthorne?