Friends of the Earth: Reforms allowing floodplain construction must be dropped

Friends of the Earth's director of policy and campaigns Craig Bennett responds to the public accounts committee's report on flood management in England, which warns of uncertainty about who will pay:

"MPs are right to call for adequate flooding defences in Britain – climate change is threatening millions of homes next to our rivers and coastlines, pushing up insurance premiums and making some properties uninsurable.

"Ministers must urgently drop senseless planning reforms that could increase the risk of new houses being built on floodplains.

"The government must reduce the risk of costly flooding in Britain by slashing climate-changing emissions, which will also boost our economy and create thousands of jobs."