EU FLOOD AID WELCOME BUT MUST COME TO REGION, NOT GOVERNMENT (Liz Lynne)

EU FLOOD AID WELCOME BUT MUST COME TO REGION, NOT GOVERNMENT

October 31, 2007 4:37 PM

Local Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Liz Lynne, has welcomed this morning's statement from the European Commission that the UK's bid for support for flood hit areas from the EU Solidarity Fund will be supported. However she urged the government not to use the £100 million pledged simply to reimburse its own spending since the floods.

The Solidarity Fund money is intended to reimburse non-insured losses, such as emergency assistance and public infrastructure costs.

From an early stage after the floods hit the West Midlands, Liz Lynne lobbied the Government to submit a bid to the Commission and requested that the Commission examine it speedily and efficiently.

She said: "This is good news for the region. While there are some still procedural hoops to go through the money, could be available as early as January or February next year.

"Nevertheless, following the government's announcement that £57 million had already been distributed to local councils to help with damage caused by the flooding, we must ensure that the lion's share of this EU aid does not go to refund Gordon Brown's coffers. It should of course go to help the worst affected areas.

"This sum appears to be the second largest payout ever from the Solidarity Fund and should at least reinforce a more positive view in the UK that Europe Union is there to help and provide assistance when needed."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

On the 24th of October, Liz Lynne asked the following question of the visiting Portuguese minister responsible (Portugal currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU):

Will the UK's application to the EU Solidarity Fund be treated fairly and speedily and will the Council consider the development of a European Rapid Reaction Force to deal with natural disasters?

Liz Lynne has recently called for the streamlining of the rules and application process for the EU Solidarity Fund, to make sure aid reaches where it is needed more quickly, in the light of the UK and Eastern European floods, and the Greek forest fires.

Previously Liz Lynne submitted a European Parliamentary Question requesting flood aid in June. The MEP welcomed an initial response from Commissioner Danuta Hubner.

Concerned that the stricken Severn Valley Railway in her West Midlands region constituency should be included in any UK bid for funding from the EU Solidarity Fund, Ms Lynne then wrote to Floods minister John Healey urging this. He replied confirming it had been included in the bid and confirmed that £1.5 million has already been made available to help the railway. Liz Lynne was shown around the reconstruction site to restore the trackbed at Highley station on Friday October 12th.

EU Solidarity Fund: http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/g24217.htm

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