Sarah Dyke
MP for Glastonbury and Somerton · Liberal Democrat · United Kingdom
“That is why we call on the Government to go further. First, they should raise each fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping to £2,500, so that the penalty better reflects the profit being made.”
“A permit regime has the ability to stop a rogue operator registering, but it will never stop a criminal gang that were never going to register in the first place. Why would they, when they are making their millions in the knowledge that there is no fear of being caught?”
“I thank the Minister for setting out this statutory instrument, which the Liberal Democrats support. For too long, the system regulating who can transport and manage our waste has relied on a simple registration scheme, scarcely able to distinguish between reputable operators and rogue ones. That simply cannot continue.”
“Although it is a great example of people power and coming together to solve a problem that could not be solved otherwise, it should never have been necessary for local people to be forced into intervening. That is what enforcement failure looks like on the ground.”
“A BBC investigation at the end of last year identified 517 active illegal waste dumps across England. Eleven of them are what investigators call “super sites”. The largest is in Northwich and holds an estimated 280,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste.”
“As it stands, the system gives a farmer in Somerset who finds waste dumped on their land no clear direction as to whether to call the unitary council, the Environment Agency or the police. That confusion is actively suppressing reporting, and with that comes the lack of enforcement. This SI is a genuine and welcome step.”
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“I certainly do agree, and I thank my hon. Friend for her question this time. She makes a very good point: the income that was brought in buckets and thrown on the carts once sustained carnivals. Now, it does not go far enough to cover the cost of running them, especially with all the additional associated costs. That concern has led to leading club and committee members in my constituency, including John Dando of Glastonbury carnival committee, Sue and Gordon Stockman of Cary Comedians carnival club and Dr Andrew Tallon of Mendip Vale carnival club, founding the Carnivals in Somerset Promotion Project to protect this unique tradition and prevent it from disappearing, which could happen unless urgent efforts are made to widen participation and increase support.”
“I hope the debate has illuminated to this place the special social, cultural and economic importance of carnivals to Somerset. Let us keep their lights on. To finish, it seems appropriate to quote Robbie Williams: let us make sure that they are “Back for Good” and let us make sure that we let them “entertain you”. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered Government support for carnivals.”
“I thank all hon. Members for their contributions and give special thanks to the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare (Dan Aldridge), who co-sponsored the debate alongside me. As has been outlined, carnivals are a distinctive and important part of British cultural heritage. For many in Somerset, they are a key point of celebration throughout the year. I appreciate the Minister’s supportive comments recognising the value that they bring and extend an invitation to her and you, Mrs Harris, to join me at Glastonbury carnival on 21 November. You will be very welcome there. We must make sure that carnivals across the UK are supported, and I hope that today’s debate will help us focus our minds on the work that is needed to ensure that these celebrations take place long into the future.”
“The Liberal Democrats support the protection of animal rights and welfare, both domestically and internationally. We call on the Government to enact the comprehensive ban on the import and sale of fur and fur-related products once and for all, helping to maintain the UK as a global leader in the sale and promotion of animal welfare.”
“Given that it is not an agrifood commodity, however, incorporating it into the SPS agreement would serve only to complicate the matter unnecessarily and delay the process. The Minister has previously indicated her support for a ban, as have many Cabinet Ministers, many Labour Members and most of Parliament. There is cross-party consensus on the issue, and it is shameful that the previous Conservative Government reversed their commitment to action. This Government must now do the right thing and take this opportunity, once again, to make Britain a global trailblazer by banning the sale and import of fur and fur-related products as soon as possible. The fur trade has no place in a country with such high standards of animal welfare. It is hypocritical to allow the import and sale of real fur from abroad.”
“We must not import goods that are not allowed to be produced in this country, and we must extend that to food products produced abroad to standards that would be illegal for British farmers. The Liberal Democrats want to see minimum standards for all imported food, to meet UK animal welfare standards, and we must ensure that no animal product that would be illegal to produce in the UK can be sold in Britain, including foie gras. The Liberal Democrats have also urged the Government to sign the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU as soon as possible, and to ensure alignment on standards and quality. Part of those discussions will likely focus on the import of fur.”
“Reports and official responses in Europe have shown outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza affecting fur-bearing animals on farms, and public health and biosecurity measures are not consistently implemented in practice. We must heed virologists’ warnings and not sleepwalk into another global pandemic. I take this opportunity to recognise some of the Government’s progress on the issue. I was pleased to see the Government publish the results of the previous Government’s call for evidence on the fur trade. I also welcome the recently launched animal welfare strategy for England, which promises the highest jump in welfare in a generation. It is clear, however, that trade policy must go hand in hand with domestic welfare action. If we do not do that, we risk offshoring animal cruelty.”
“I underscore that the global fur trade, of which the UK is still a part, is not just a problem for animals; it is a serious public health risk. The interface between humans and millions of intensively kept and traded animals is giving rise to an era of unprecedented zoonotic disease threats, and fur farming sits squarely in that danger zone. Professor Edward Holmes, an evolutionary biologist and virologist from the University of Sydney, said of the fur trade, “I think that this trade is a roll of the dice. We’re exposing ourselves to viruses that come from wildlife,” which is “an obvious route for the next pandemic to occur… Fur farms present a clear epidemic or pandemic risk.” Crucially, this is not a hypothetical risk.”
“In March 2021, the UK Trade and Agriculture Commission recommended that the UK should show world leadership in embedding animal welfare into international trade policy and in helping to raise standards worldwide, which is what the public want. Polling suggests that 77% of the public back a ban on the import and sale of fur and fur-related products, while 96% of respondents to the call for evidence under the last Government strongly agreed that it is wrong for animals to be killed for their fur. In the build-up to this debate, many of my constituents in Glastonbury and Somerton wrote to me to outline their support for a ban. All were united in their belief that it is time to end this cruel, outdated and unnecessary trade, and I agree with them.”
“The fur trade’s contribution to the UK economy is very limited and has declined significantly over recent years. In 2023, the value of international fur exports and imports into the UK had fallen by nearly 50% and 39% respectively since 2018, while data from the Business Register Employment Survey shows that the number of people employed in the sector is also declining sharply. Indeed, in 2022-23 only 35 people were employed in the sector in the UK. There is also growing evidence that a ban is enforceable under WTO rules. The landmark 2014 WTO ruling on the EU’s ban on the import of seal skins shows that WTO rules permit restrictions on imports based on ethical concerns.”
“The scheme allows alarm thresholds, under which no serious action is triggered. How we treat animals is a reflection of who we are as a society. The UK is a nation of animal lovers, and we should be proud of the action we have taken to lead the world in upholding some of the highest animal welfare standards. When we take a stand, others follow, such as with the ban on fur farming that was implemented in the early 2000s. Since then, over 20 countries have followed suit. That is something to be proud of, and there is now an opportunity for us to extend that legacy even further. It is disappointing that there have been claims that a ban would result in job losses and economic damage. A recent report by WPI Economics on behalf of Humane World for Animals has revealed that that is simply not the case.”
“The British Fur Trade Association has stated that a ban would not improve animal welfare standards, would result in illegal fur imports, would be unenforceable and would lead to job losses. In addition, it argues that a ban would raise concerns that the World Trade Organisation rules might be broken. The BFTA has proposed a five-point plan for the Government, including improved labelling of fur products. However, let me be clear that keeping animals in cages for their whole lives inevitably leads to a variety of physical and psychological health problems, so the fur industry’s certification schemes clearly incorporate a high tolerance for poor welfare. Under the “WelFur” approach used within Furmark, farms can retain accreditation even when significant levels of illness and injury persist.”
“I commend the work of the Fur Free Britain coalition in mobilising such strong public opinion on the topic of fur. The Liberal Democrats support the protection of animal rights and welfare, both domestically and internationally. The previous Conservative Government wrongly pivoted on their decision to scrap the planned ban on the import of fur, and we now call on this Government to enact a comprehensive ban on the import and sale of fur and fur-related products, once and for all, to help to maintain the UK as a global leader in the promotion of animal welfare. The moral arguments have been well rehearsed by many hon. and right hon. Members today, and those arguments are full of merit. However, I will also evaluate some of the arguments put forward by the fur industry against a ban.”
“It is an honour to serve with you in the Chair this morning, Ms Jardine. I congratulate the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) on securing this important debate, and I pay tribute to her tireless campaigning on animal rights. It is a pleasure to speak on behalf of the Liberal Democrats today. We have a track record of animal rights advocacy, and we are clear that the fur trade should have no place in this country, which has some of the highest animal welfare standards anywhere in the world. Yet today’s debate has outlined a glaring contradiction. We have banned the cruelty at home, but by continuing to source fur from overseas, we remain wholly complicit in this unnecessary suffering. It is understandable that over three quarters of the British public want to see this double standard ended for good.”
“I founded North Dorset women’s rugby club back in 1995 and I am very pleased to say that it is still going. There is now also a fantastic girls’ team, linked with Castle Cary rugby club in my constituency, for girls aged between 12 and 18. There has been some great work on facilities and there has been some funding available through Impact ’25 to help with changing facilities for women and girls. It ends at the end of this month, but it needs to continue. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need that funding in order to ensure that there is that ability to include women and girls in our rugby clubs, particularly in rural areas?”
“Holly Davidson made history in February when she took charge of the Ireland versus Italy Six Nations game in Dublin, becoming the first woman to referee a men’s game. Being a proud Scot, will he join me in congratulating her on that terrific move for women’s participation in rugby generally?”
“I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate. Storm Chandra hit the Somerset levels terribly badly. Water falling on already saturated land caused huge issues for many people. Farmers play a crucial role in managing our floodwaters. One farmer, Mike Curtis, who farms in Muchelney, took me and the Water and Flooding Minister out when she visited at the beginning of the month, showing the amount of water that can be stored on their land to save many other communities and thousands of homes in Bridgwater and Taunton from flooding. Mike told me that they are happy to store that water on their land to stop flooding further down the catchment, but does the hon. Member agree that farmers like Mike, as they are providing a public good, should be properly and fairly compensated?”
“Skills bootcamps in Somerset give businesses in Glastonbury and Somerton the opportunity to collaborate with training providers. This helps to address persistent skills shortages. However, changes to funding allocations could see Somerset lose nearly 70% of its funding. Will the Minister urgently review the skills bootcamp funding methodology? Without it, an important pathway for residents to gain valuable skills and to support economic prosperity in Somerset will be compromised.”
“Since the outbreak of the conflict in the middle east, heating oil prices have increased by over 100%. That is a harsh reminder that relying on volatile fossil fuel markets leaves households financially vulnerable. Many rural households are off the gas grid, so constituents such as Julian from East Lambrook are not protected by the energy price cap. Does the Chancellor agree that that is unfair on rural communities, and will she take steps to develop a mechanism to protect those householders from damaging global fossil fuel price shocks?”
“Such a reform to gun licensing authorities would remove the administrative burden crippling police licensing departments, allowing the police to focus on their primary role of frontline community policing. Many across the industry feel that the Government are trying to find a solution to a problem that the evidence suggests does not need addressing. Stakeholders argue that the current system would work if it was enforced and resourced properly, rather than there being a gap in the current law. Firearms licensing must protect public safety while remaining fair, workable and proportionate for those who hold licences responsibly and lawfully.”
“If driving licences—although, as we have heard, they are probably not the best example—and passports can be processed digitally, surely it would be more efficient for gun licences to be issued in that way, especially when we consider the 138% increase in gun licence fees brought in last February. The fee hike was implemented to help to tackle processing inefficiencies across all departments, but concerningly, less than half of all forces have used the additional resources to improve their processing timeframes. Those are the reasons why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a centralised national firearms agency that would shift to a digital processing system, standardise fees, reduce wait times, and ensure that safeguards, such as medical markers, are implemented effectively and consistently.”
“Rural police forces, which are responsible for areas with the highest level of gun ownership, will now face a potential fourfold increase in workload, with no corresponding uplift in resources. Will the Minister confirm what assessment has been made of the scale of the additional workload that police forces will face because of the proposal? Currently, Avon and Somerset police’s firearms licensing department is not able to take telephone enquiries due to its unmanageable workload. Without the additional resource that the Home Office proposals will require, it will simply not be able to provide a viable service. In addition, the current process is archaic, bureaucratic and reliant on a paper-based system. It is simply not fit for purpose, and it is certainly not fit for the future.”
“Police firearms licensing departments would be required to carry out more stringent checks on potential shotgun owners, necessitating land inspections, enforcing specific restrictions on where and when a gun can be used, and requiring a justification for possessing specific firearms. The merger will add enormous administrative pressure to police forces, which are already overwhelmed by the current system. Over a quarter of forces take more than a year to process applications, and some take up to three years. For example, in the second quarter of 2025, Avon and Somerset police completed 99% of its applications within four months; however, Cambridgeshire police was able to process only 37% of its applications during the same period.”
“At this point, I should declare an interest as a shotgun licence-holder—or indeed, I was until about a month ago, when my brother and I decided that we should give up our licences because we do not use them enough. I hold a licence in Somerset; my guns were kept in my brother’s gun cabinet on a farm two miles down the road in Dorset. It was such an administrative headache that he and I sadly decided, given the amount of use we got from them, to give up our licences. That just proves how difficult things can be, even with some very simple elements. This proposed merger, while well intentioned, risks adding significant costs, complexities and delays to an already overstretched and underfunded system. Under the proposal, those wishing to use or own a shotgun would be required to go through the same application processes as a rifle owner.”
“I have also spoken to some enactors, such as Jane, from Montacute, who is a member of the English Civil War Society. This merger will significantly increase the costs of control for blank-firing, muzzle-led weapons, with black powder weapons requiring a separate certificate for use. The change will not only add to the costly administrative burden that enactors already face. Their society plays a key role in stimulating interest in our cultural past, but this policy risks losing enactors if they are not given the same exemption as those using theatrical guns. Currently within the UK, responsibility for the issuing and implementation of firearms licences rests with the local police force’s firearms licensing department. As we have heard, each of the 43 licensing units operate with different standards for assessing and issuing licences.”
“The wait is fuelling great uncertainty within the sector. It is affecting future planning and the viability of many rural businesses. I turn to sport, because the merger risks damaging the sporting pathway that has underpinned British shooting successes. Clay pigeon shooting is often the entry point for young people taking up shooting as a competitive sport, providing a safe and structured introduction to it. Shooters must hold a full section 1 licence and potentially formal membership of every club that they might visit. That would make it nigh-on impossible for shooters to qualify for professional events. Team GB won gold in the men’s trap event and silver in the women’s skeet event at the last Olympics in Paris. We should celebrate and nurture British shooting’s success and widen access to participation, not narrow it down.”
“I have also spoken to Andy, who is the founder of Avalon Guns Ltd. in Street. He sells thousands of shotguns and rifles every year, and has built a successful business from the ground up since opening in 1983. He told me that this policy would simply devastate his business and the UK gun trade, because 90% of UK gun sales are of shotguns, and the proposed merger would decimate demand and force licensed gun shops across the country to close for good. Although the Liberal Democrats are supportive of the Government’s consultation on this policy, there is much frustration across the industry, because the consultation on the merger was expected before Christmas. Can the Minister provide some clarity today about when the consultation will be forthcoming and further details about what will be considered in the Government’s intended policy?”
“For farmers, making shotguns subject to more stringent section 1 licensing controls, particularly in relation to the location, use and purchase of ammunition, would eliminate the flexibility that they require to undertake effective pest control. Cameron, the farm manager at The Newt in Somerset, told me that he currently has multiple gun users active on his farm estate. In future, if he is required to monitor this and keep a record, he said that it is very likely that he would revoke those permissions. That would impact pest control on his estate and businesses whose job is to control pests. In addition, for many farmers operating under increased economic pressure, diversification into game or clay pigeon shooting can sometimes be the only option to keep their farm business viable.”
“He is acutely aware of his responsibility and will sell guns only to those he deems fit, with the correct paperwork. Like many gun dealers, Steve feels that he is just as effective at spotting fake licences as the licensing authorities, because officers in those authorities are given very little training. As we have heard, shooting is a vital part of the rural economy, contributing over £3.3 billion annually and leading to £9.3 billion in wider economic activity, supporting 67,000 full-time jobs, and investing £500 million into conservation efforts every year. It is highly likely that increasing barriers to obtaining a firearms licence will drive people out of shooting. It has been estimated that this could lose the economy over £1 billion and cost more than 20,000 jobs in rural areas.”
“The policy poses a real risk to rural communities, both culturally and economically, so I would welcome the Minister’s feedback on what evidence the Government hold that indicates that individuals who own more than one gun are more likely to commit more crimes, and on how the proposed changes will deliver actual improvements to public safety. Last week, I held an informative roundtable discussion in Street in my constituency, with more than 20 stakeholders from the shooting industry. The key feedback from that group was that the merger is ideological, and that it is a solution in search of a problem. One attendee, Steve—the owner of Ivythorn Sporting in Street, which specialises in firearms—reiterated that his primary responsibility, above being a gun dealer, is to protect public safety.”
“That is not to say that any death is not a tragedy, but what it does show is that we already have one of the most robust firearms licensing systems in the world. However, balancing responsible gun ownership with public safety and public perception is a delicate task. The Liberal Democrats stand opposed to the Government’s proposal, as the current evidence indicates that there is no need to merge section 2 and section 1 licences. Both licences already require rigorous and identical health and safety checks. However, the system must be sufficiently resourced, and currently it is not.”
“It is an honour to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Barker. I thank the Petitions Committee, and I thank the hon. Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) for introducing the debate in such a balanced manner. I also thank the 445 petitioners of Glastonbury and Somerton. Gun controls should be strengthened only when there is a clear necessity to protect public safety. We Liberal Democrats share concerns that any changes to firearms licensing, including the reclassification of shotguns, must be evidence-based and go hand in hand with the appropriate support. The Health and Safety Executive suggests that intervention is required only when the risk has reached one death per 1 million of the population. In the UK, the average rate of homicide using legally held firearms stands at one per 15 million people.”
“Despite questioning whether she might have to move her studio, which she has been running for 14 years now—that has been some hard graft—she is absolutely determined to fight on. She wants to fight on, but she also wants to learn how she can better understand flooding, be resilient to it, and help to protect other businesses and help her community.”
“The Government response to flooding incidents such as Storm Chandra must not just focus on helping the communities currently dealing with flood water, but on how we can better protect those communities and help them to be more resilient in future. Building flood-resilient communities is desperately important and it must be a priority, because these events are getting more frequent and more serious. Before I move on, I would like to reflect on what we really mean when we discuss resilience. Constituents in Glastonbury and Somerton are dealing with flooding with ever more regularly. Louise owns GingerFred dance studio in Langport. She told me that she has been battling the floodwater that has been lapping up against at her dance studio door for the past two weeks.”
“Roads are still flooded and communities are cut off. This issue will not disappear of its own accord. Climate change pushes the extremes, and Somerset, which is so often at the forefront of climate change, will see further extreme weather, with prolonged droughts and intense rainfall becoming common. The Environment Agency projects that there will be a 90% increase in properties at risk from river and coastal flooding, alongside an increase in surface water flood risk by the 2080s. Physical damage alone is estimated at £2.4 billion annually, and it could rise to £3.6 billion annually by 2050. Insurers are set to pay out £1.6 billion for weather-related property claims made last year alone, as the UK battles with the impact of climate change.”
“There has been a feeling of déjà vu, and of “Here we go again!” Between 26 and 27 January, Storm Chandra, hot on the heels of Storms Goretti and Ingrid, brought exceptional rainfall to Somerset: 50 mm of intense rainfall fell across large parts of Somerset causing widespread flooding and set new 24-hour rainfall records in many parts of the south-west. Somerset council acted swiftly, and declared a major incident as 50 homes across the county fell victim to floodwater. The major incident remains in place following persistent rain over the following two weeks, with yet more rain in the forecast and high spring tides imminent. Because the ground is fully saturated, local rivers are highly sensitive to further rainfall, while five flood warnings and 11 flood alerts remain in place across Somerset.”
“I am grateful for having secured this debate on the Government’s response to flooding as a result of Storm Chandra. Before I begin, I want to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the flood effort in Somerset. I would also like to take a moment to recognise the impact that flooding has on people’s mental health. Victims of repeated flooding describe living in a “permanent state of anxiety”, and this has been palpable when hearing from residents across the Glastonbury and Somerton constituency over the last few weeks.”
“We must remember that resilience to flooding is part of our national security. I thank the Minister for joining me in Glastonbury and Somerton yesterday. We visited Langport, Thorney and Drayton to see the impact Storm Chandra has had on the area. I am sure she would agree, after hearing from the farmer Mike Curtis, who took us on his tractor and showed us some of his land, that Somerset communities are resilient, but much more must be done to protect them from flooding. If flooding does happen, they must have the tools on hand and the support in place to help their communities mitigate it.”
“I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind words and for his intervention. Indeed, nature-based solutions and natural flood defences are absolutely important—I know that the Minister is also an advocate for them—and I will come on to that later on in my speech. In this place, I have advocated for communities to receive the support they need to develop their own bespoke extreme weather resilience plans. I pay tribute to the tireless work done by people such as Flood Mary in helping victims of flooding and raising awareness of flood risk and property flood resilience. Communities who regularly suffer flooding are resilient, but they deserve action and investment. Flood resilience in Somerset cannot be achieved on a shoestring budget and people deserve better. The Prime Minister has spoken about “national security for national renewal”.”
“I hope that that can be rolled out so that our communities can be better protected and can better protect themselves in these instances of terrific rainfall.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. I wholeheartedly agree. Every flooding incident is different and sometimes it is difficult to dictate where flooding incidents will happen, but there is certainly a lot more we can do. The Minister and I talked about the trigger points with the Environment Agency yesterday, which it has committed to looking at. I also agree that communication with local authorities and a collaborative, joined-up approach should be better. I also feel that communities should have better real-time information on flooding. There is a really good example of that in the River Cam catchment, where flood monitors have been put on bridges and an app tracks the flow of water so that communities within the catchment are aware of any significant increase in the water levels.”
“Following those floods, the Environment Agency carried out what was, at the time, the single largest pumping operation ever undertaken in Somerset. Following flooding in January 2023, the EA once again put in place another large temporary pumping operation on the levels and moors.”
“According to the Environmental Audit Committee’s report into flood resilience, “the UK is not on track to be fully…flood resilient by the time” the Flood Re programme ends in 2039. It further states that without clear standards, flood resilience is just “a vague ambition rather than a deliverable goal.” I would appreciate the Minister’s comments on what she means when she talks about resilience, especially at community level. Some communities have spent time and money putting in place property-level mitigations but still face flooding. How can they better understand what it means to be flood resilient? The memories of the devastating 2013-14 floods are still painfully vivid in the minds of those who experienced them.”
“In a previous life, before being elected to this House, I was the lead member for climate change and environment on Somerset council. Somerset has a lower-than-average tree canopy cover at 8%, compared with the national average of 14%, so we committed in our 10-year tree strategy to plant more trees. There are lots of community groups doing that across Somerset, including Reimagining the Levels, which brings together volunteer networks to plant trees. I was out on Ham Hill a couple of months ago planting 3,000 trees for exactly that reason: once those trees become established, they can soak in more moisture and play their part in slowing the flow through those catchment areas. I wholeheartedly agree with the hon. Lady.”
“We must use the multitude of flood defence techniques available to ensure that our communities are resilient to future extreme weather events. There is much work to be done to ensure that England has a strong framework that recognises the role of the multiple bodies and agencies that work together to make flood-resilient communities. To conclude as I began, flooding can have a profound impact on mental health, affecting individuals and communities long after the waters recede. We must always remember the very real and persistent anxiety that flood victims experience; that must be central when considering future Government support for communities at risk of flooding.”
“That is why farmers who store water on their land to protect housing or other critical infrastructure—they are providing a public good—should be properly recognised for doing so and compensated fairly. Liberal Democrats would tailor the qualifying criteria for the farming recovery fund to reflect the realities of flooding for rural communities and farmers. We would also raise the environmental land management scheme budget by £1 billion, to support farmers in their transition to environmentally sustainable farming, and to recognise their key role in accepting and managing flood water. Flood defences in Somerset cannot be run on a shoestring budget. We urgently need to ensure that critical assets are available and able to operate at capacity during flood events.”
“Yesterday, Mike Curtis told the Minister and me that he had reared cattle in Thorney for over 30 years, with his herd peaking at 750 head of beef cattle 10 years ago. He now keeps less than half that number, because his land spends so much time under water. While Mike’s land saves thousands of homes downstream from flooding, he is unable to access any Government compensation for these losses to his business. Sadly, Mike is not alone in facing this. Trish and Ron from Bineham City Farm near Knole also have hundreds of acres under water, and will run short of feed for their dairy herd before they are able to turn their cattle out this year. This is having a massive, catastrophic impact on their business.”
“In my view, it is essential to use citizen science, local knowledge and natural flood management techniques in a catchment area approach to flood mitigation. We must also recognise the key role that farmers play in flood management by storing floodwater on their land, protecting those downstream, and consider building natural flood defences, because 58% of grade 1 agricultural land is situated on a floodplain, while 9% is at high risk of coastal flooding. If there is not appropriate insurance in place to compensate farmers for holding water on their land to prevent communities from flooding, we put those businesses under increased financial pressure after each and every flood event.”
“Surface water flooding is the fastest-accelerating risk affecting areas of the country that are not traditionally expected to flood. The Liberal Democrats have led calls to ensure that new homes are built with a range of measures to enhance their flood resilience, and to ensure that sustainable urban drainage systems do their job and are maintained properly. We also believe that older homes should be retrofitted to help mitigate the risk of flooding. I pay credit to my constituent Tim Adams, the flood warden for Blackford, just outside Wincanton. Tim has undertaken research on the rapid run-off of surface water from the A303, which has often been recognised as materially increasing flood risk. His work has shown how attenuation ponds or wetlands could reduce peak flows, improve water quality and deliver biodiversity gains.”
“I am aware that the Minister shares my appreciation for such solutions, but as the Environmental Audit Committee report made clear, these interventions remain undervalued and underused in England, and must take their place alongside hard engineering projects. The urgent need to build more homes has led to there being full or conditional planning permission for more than 7,000 new homes in England on previously undeveloped floodplain land. I am clear that new developments should not be built on floodplains, because they increase the speed of run-off and the risk of flooding downstream, putting homes and communities at risk. We desperately need new homes, but if Somerset is to hit the Government’s house building targets, the question must be: where do the houses go?”