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| Flood families 'still displaced' | Flood families 'still displaced' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Of the 17,000 families displaced by the summer 2007 floods, 168 have still not been able to return to their homes, official figures show. | Of the 17,000 families displaced by the summer 2007 floods, 168 have still not been able to return to their homes, official figures show. |
| Environment Minister Hilary Benn said he "sympathised" with the families, but "significant progress" had been made on improving flood protection. | |
| This included completing 85 new flood defence schemes to protect some 58,000 additional homes in England, he said. | |
| The 2007 floods claimed 13 lives and saw 44,600 homes deluged. | The 2007 floods claimed 13 lives and saw 44,600 homes deluged. |
| Yorkshire and the Humber, the Midlands and south-west England were among the worst-hit regions. | |
| The floods also affected about 7,100 businesses and caused damage totalling £3bn. | The floods also affected about 7,100 businesses and caused damage totalling £3bn. |
| 'Setbacks' | 'Setbacks' |
| Figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government showed that 184 families had returned home since March this year. | Figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government showed that 184 families had returned home since March this year. |
| The remaining 168 are living in caravans or local authority housing and most have reportedly been unable to return because of "subsequent issues" following the floods. | The remaining 168 are living in caravans or local authority housing and most have reportedly been unable to return because of "subsequent issues" following the floods. |
| The department said these included "families opting for extra building work on top of repairs", "discovery of pre-existing structural problems" and "setbacks from starting repairs before properties were fully dried out". | The department said these included "families opting for extra building work on top of repairs", "discovery of pre-existing structural problems" and "setbacks from starting repairs before properties were fully dried out". |
| We'll all be glad to see those last few get home Rosie WintertonLocal Government Minister | We'll all be glad to see those last few get home Rosie WintertonLocal Government Minister |
| Ms Winterton praised local efforts to get back to normal after the floods and said central government had also done much to help. | Ms Winterton praised local efforts to get back to normal after the floods and said central government had also done much to help. |
| "Unprecedented government support has committed £136 million over the last two years to help those tireless communities get back on their feet, return families to their homes and ensure affected areas are open for business once again," she said. | "Unprecedented government support has committed £136 million over the last two years to help those tireless communities get back on their feet, return families to their homes and ensure affected areas are open for business once again," she said. |
| "Significant progress is still being made. Out of 17,000 families only 168 remain displaced and that's mainly because of subsequent issues. | "Significant progress is still being made. Out of 17,000 families only 168 remain displaced and that's mainly because of subsequent issues. |
| "This means roughly 99% of all those affected are back home. We'll all be glad to see those last few get home and then all those affected by the 2007 floods will finally be able to put it well and truly behind them." | "This means roughly 99% of all those affected are back home. We'll all be glad to see those last few get home and then all those affected by the 2007 floods will finally be able to put it well and truly behind them." |
| Grant scheme | |
| Following the floods, Sir Michael Pitt carried out a review of the country's flood defences and last year published a list of 92 proposals he said must be implemented if communities were to be better protected in the future. | |
| Publishing a progress report on those proposals on Thursday, Mr Benn said that "immediate action" had been taken to help communities most at risk. | |
| Among the steps was a £5m grant scheme for householders to pay for their own flood protection improvements like installing door boards to hold back rising water. | |
| "The government remains determined to make this country better able to anticipate and deal with the impacts of flooding," Mr Benn said. | |
| A new Flood and Water Management Bill has been drafted and is currently awaiting wider consultation. |