MP on the hunt for flooding cash
FLOODING in an East Lancashire valley has been raised with the Government.
Rossendale MP Jake Berry asked environment minister Victoria Prentis if another £8million could be found to pay for a £19m scheme to protect properties in Irwell Vale.
The Tory backbencher secured a special debate in the House of Commons second Westminster Hall chamber to discuss the need to upgrade flood defences after four major incidents in the last 15 years.
He told Mrs Prentis: “Homes and businesses in Whitworth, Bacup, Stacksteads, Waterfoot, Darwen, Rawtenstall, Helmshore, Irwell Vale, Strongstry and Chatterton have been devastated by floods.
“The reason is the same reason we are one of the most picturesque and beautiful areas in the United Kingdom: our lovely rivers. We have the Limey Water, the Whitewell brook, the Darwen, the Spodden, the Ogden and the Irwell.
“In the summer, they are
beautiful, burbling brooks; in the winter, they become raging torrents.
“It has proved historically difficult to mitigate the flood risk because the water comes from a wide catchment area. I have visited those communities on several occasions after they have flooded and the impact has been completely devastating.
“The problem faced by Irwell Vale residents is that the grant in aid funding will not cover the cost of the project needed.
“If the scheme is to deliver meaningful and sustainable solutions, we will have to look at a cocktail of government funding.
“The estimated cost of the project is £19.6 million.
“We have already secured just over £11 million. That brings me to the rump, the £8 million, for which we are looking to the government for support.”
Mrs Prentis said: “I am firmly reassured by the Environment Agency that it is leaving no stone unturned to try to source the remainder of the funding.”
Mr Berry said after the debate: “I very much hope we will be able make progress on new flood defences soon.”
●●JAKE Berry was one of three Lancashire MPs to vote against extending abortion access in Northern Ireland.
The Conservative trio were among 70 members who voted against a Government plan which would allow it to directly commission abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Although abortion became legal in the region two years ago, little has changed in terms of the services available to women and girls.
The secretary for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, had previously warned that the Government would take action when it appeared the Northern Ireland Department of Health (NI DoH) would miss the end of March deadline to fully commission abortion services.
That threat came through in a House of Commons vote last week which the Government won by a margin of 215 to 70. Matters relating to abortion are generally considered issues of morality and MPs are therefore not whipped into voting in line with their party.
The Free Press asked Mr Berry if he wished to clarify his position and explain his decision to vote against the protocol.
He did not respond to our request.