By Steven Birch
The government has been accused of slashing flood defence provisions for homes and business across the country as changes to planned projects were unveiled.
Residents in some of the worst-hit flood areas could be worried about the latest changes because fewer defences could leave them vulnerable to large home insurance claims.
Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said the government was slashing the flood defence budget by £95 million this year and cancelling a large number of schemes.
But junior environment minister Richard Benyon refuted the claims and said that 21 of the new projects will provide extra protection for more than 13,000 households, while the remaining projects will provide "vital repairs and safety enhancements" to current defences.
Answering an urgent question in the Commons, Benyon said: "I understand the concerns of people and honourable members who are worried that a particular scheme is not on the indicative list for funding.
"I should stress however that this does not amount to the government cancelling schemes or saying that any particular scheme cannot go ahead in the future.
"The method of government funding for schemes starting 2012-13 and beyond is currently under review."
Nick Starling, director of general insurance and health at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said: "With over five million people at risk of flooding, it is vital that our flood-vulnerable communities get the best flood protection possible.
"Government investment must be targeted where it is needed most and show flood reduction results on the ground.
"Insurers remain committed to ensuring that flood insurance remains widely available, and we are discussing with government how best to protect high flood-risk properties, after the current insurance agreement on flood insurance finishes in 2013."
