Committee
Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, 11 Mar 2009
11 Mar 2009 · S3 · Rural Affairs and Environment Committee
Item of business
Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
The management of surface water flooding presents particular challenges, not least of which is the need to co-ordinate closely the work of local authorities and Scottish Water. Floods are defined in the bill so as to include flooding from all sources, which means that surface water flooding must be included in flood risk assessments, maps and, critically, flood risk management plans. Surface water management will therefore be an integral part of the flood risk management plans that are prepared under the bill.I have considered the concerns that the committee raised at stage 1, particularly the recommendation that the bill should include a requirement to prepare surface water management plans. As I have outlined, the bill as drafted will require consideration of surface water management alongside other forms of flooding. It is essential that different sources of flooding are considered together if we are to deliver an integrated approach to managing flooding. A separate set of plans to tackle surface water management would not only add an extra, undesirable administrative burden, but have the potential to cut across the flood risk management planning structure that the bill will create. As it is clear that flooding from different sources can interact, it would be inappropriate to consider one type of flooding in isolation. Amendment 29 will make it clear that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency must consider the management of surface run-off water and urban drainage when setting objectives and implementing measures. Amendment 33 relates to local flood risk management plans. Section 29 will require local flood risk management plans to contain an implementation part that describes who is to be responsible for implementing the measures that are set out in the plan and when the implementation will take place. Amendment 33 will require the implementation part of local plans also to describe how the different bodies that are involved would co-ordinate their functions when implementing measures. The amendment will also require particular attention to be paid to co-ordinating the implementation of measures to manage surface run-off water and urban drainage.Amendments 29 and 33 will help to deliver a collaborative approach to managing surface run-off water. I am confident that they address the committee's concerns on that, so I trust that they will be supported.I move amendment 29.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Maureen Watt):
SNP
I welcome everyone to the eighth meeting in 2009 of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee. I remind everyone to switch off their mobile phones and page...
The Minister for Environment (Roseanna Cunningham):
SNP
Good morning.
Section 24—Flood risk management plans: objectives and measures
The Convener:
SNP
Group 1 is on objectives and measures: assessment of costs. Amendment 86, in the name of Bill Wilson, is the only amendment in the group.
Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The aim of the bill is to produce a more sustainable form of flood management. In order to do that, we have to move away from considering only financial cost...
The Convener:
SNP
That was short and sweet.
Bill Wilson:
SNP
I could go on for five minutes.
The Convener:
SNP
No, that was a good start. I hope that we continue in that vein.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
I think that I can be as short and sweet. Amendment 86 is quite closely aligned to the Government's thinking in relation to benefits. For that reason, I am h...
The Convener:
SNP
Bill Wilson, do you want to press or withdraw amendment 86?
Bill Wilson:
SNP
I will press the amendment.
John Scott (Ayr) (Con):
Con
I think that the minister was offering to deal with the issue via a later amendment if you withdraw amendment 86.
Bill Wilson:
SNP
As I understood it, the minister was saying that the amendment was acceptable.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
I accept the amendment. I simply made the point that we will have to come back with a consequential amendment at stage 3.
Amendment 86 agreed to.
Amendment 28 moved—Roseanna Cunningham—and agreed to.
The Convener:
SNP
Group 2 is on objectives and measures: surface run-off water and urban drainage. Amendment 29, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendment 33.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
The management of surface water flooding presents particular challenges, not least of which is the need to co-ordinate closely the work of local authorities ...
Amendment 29 agreed to.
The Convener:
SNP
Group 3 is on objectives and measures: civil contingencies. Amendment 30, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
The committee raised a concern at stage 1 that the emergency services tend to wait for a flood to become an emergency, rather than take positive action once ...
Amendment 30 agreed to.
The Convener:
SNP
Group 4 is on objectives and measures: structural and non-structural measures. Amendment 31, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
As I have outlined, a key part of taking a sustainable approach is to consider all the options that are available to manage flood risk, and then to select th...
Amendment 31 agreed to.
Section 24, as amended, agreed to.
Section 25—Flood risk management plans: publicity of drafts etc and consultation
The Convener:
SNP
Group 5 is on flood risk management plans: consultation. Amendment 87, in the name of John Scott, is the only amendment in the group.
John Scott:
Con
The amendment simply seeks to give ministers the opportunity, should they wish to use it, to advise SEPA in case SEPA has forgotten to consult someone. It gi...
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
Amendment 87 would amend section 25 by giving the Scottish ministers a role in deciding who should be consulted on a draft flood risk management plan before ...