ABI slams government flood management

Five years on from the floods of 2000, Government commitments to reduce the risk of flooding are not being delivered on the ground, according to a report by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The ABI said its Statement of Principles on flood insurance, which ensures flood insurance remains widely available, depends on the flood risk being adequately managed.

Stephen Haddrill, the ABI’s director general, said: "Much has changed for the better in the last five years, but more work is needed in the next five years as well. The Government has now got the right policies, but they are not being fully delivered."

The 2000 floods prompted a Government overhaul of flood management in the UK, and the ABI report assessed if there have been real improvements ‘on the ground’.

The ABI report, 'Revisiting the partnership: five years on from Autumn 2000', argues that