Ian McCartney MP

Ian McCartney MP used a debate in parliament to encourage the Government to use the community engagement model practised in Wigan as a blueprint for engaging local communities who are at risk to flooding events.

The Flooding Bill builds on Sir Michael Pitt’s inquiry. As a senior minister Ian McCartney made a major contribution to the report.

Ian McCartney MP said, “The Bill must ensure that each and every community has the ability to ensure that it has all the agencies working together effectively. We must consider the potential of using the model of community engagement and involvement that we have created in Wigan, and seeing whether it can be effectively replicated in other areas to ensure that communities have ownership and control in all circumstances. They must have a way of engaging with the utilities, local authorities and the Environment Agency to handle these matters.”

The Makerfield MP recalled how he campaigned for and persuaded Wigan Council to introduce a low cost insurance scheme to assist tenants. He added, “In 1982, as a young local councillor, I helped persuade Wigan Council and the insurance industry to introduce a tenants and leaseholders insurance scheme. It was the first in the country, and now hundreds of schemes on that model are operating effectively and providing insurance cover for every tenant who wants it, paid through their rent in an affordable and accessible way. As the years go by, we have to find a way of having an affordable and accessible insurance system paid through people's water rates, so that we can share the risk. The ability to pay must be paramount, and people must have insurance cover in all circumstances so that we share the risk and the cost of investment. Unless we have such a system in place, hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens will be unable to be insured in the decades to come, through no fault of their own. We need such a radical solution.”

Responding to the debate Secretary of State Hilary Benn MP said, “I know from the terrific constituency work done by my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield that when he speaks about the importance of community consultation and involvement, he means it and lives it. I have seen that for myself through the great work done in his constituency dealing with contaminated land (Ince Central Estate). The most striking thing about that was getting people involved. That is another aspect of sharing responsibility. If we say, "Hey, we've got a problem. What are we going to do about it?" people tend to respond, as he knows well.

“On insurance, we need ideas and to think about it, and my right hon. Friend made a powerful point.”

For the full text of the debate in parliament please visit http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm091215/debtext/91215-0009.htm#09121560000001