Local Euro MP urges Prime Minister to coordinate bid for EU flooding support (Diana Wallis MEP)

Diana Wallis MEP <info@dianawallismep.org.uk>

Local Euro MP urges Prime Minister to coordinate bid for EU flooding support

July 12, 2007 12:00 PM

Flooding in Hull Local Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Diana Wallis, has today written to Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, urging him to coordinate a bid to the European Union's Solidarity fund for financial assistance to Britain's flood hit areas.

In her letter (copied below) Diana Wallis, MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber and a Vice President of the European Parliament, says that the European Commission is ready and waiting to assist and receive an application for support from the UK under the EU Solidarity Fund.

"I write to seek your assurance that an assessment is now being made with regard to the possibility of submitting such an application to the EU Solidarity Fund within the required ten week deadline.

"I would also be obliged if you could advise which government minister now has responsibility for this so that I and my colleagues across the political parties here can lend our support and assistance in respect of any help needed in facilitating contact with the Commission."

Diana Wallis has earlier expressed her concern that the UK's previous two applications to the Solidarity Fund have both failed at the first hurdle.

Letter to PM Gordon Brown from Diana Wallis, 12 July 2007

Dear Prime Minister,

Re: Flooding in Yorkshire and the Humber

Firstly, may I thank you for visiting my region last week to see at first hand some of the areas affected by the recent flooding. I was sorry not to have been able to join the visit. I am sure you will have been convinced of the need for continued assistance.

I was able to raise the matter in the plenary session of our Parliament this week and received the expected expressions of solidarity from colleagues and our President. More importantly yesterday evening I presided over a very timely plenary debate with the European Commission on the issue of natural disasters, where our recent experience was rightly raised by my colleague Linda McCavan.

It was clear from the Commissioner's response to the debate and indeed from early enquiries that my office has made with Commission officials that the Commission is ready and waiting to assist and receive an application for support from the UK under the EU Solidarity Fund.

As I am sure you have been advised such an application has to show that the events concerned constituted 'a major natural disaster (i.e. direct damage above 3 billion euros)'. Obviously putting such an application together will involve considerable co-ordination both across the region and by your government.

I write to seek your assurance that an assessment is now being made with regard to the possibility of submitting such an application to the EU Solidarity Fund within the required ten week deadline. I would also be obliged if you could advise which government minister now has responsibility for this so that I and my colleagues across the political parties here can lend our support and assistance in respect of any help needed in facilitating contact with the Commission.

Yours sincerely,

Diana Wallis MEP