MPs concerned over environment budget cuts

Substantial cuts to the british government's environment department budget will hamper its future ability to cope with emergencies such as flooding, british MPs fear.They called on Environment Secretary Owen Paterson to clarify which policy areas faced the biggest cuts. 

Mr Paterson has said resources will be shifted to respond to changing needs.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) budget has been cut by £500m since 2010 and must find £300m in savings by 2016.

Coastal and inland defence have been struggling to hold back the water

Prospect deputy secretary general Leslie Manasseh said: "They need to learn the lessons of the experiences of this winter, which have had such a devastating impact on so many people."Mr Paterson responded to this by saying that he had been assured that frontline services would be protected, and promised to keep £370m for vital new flood defences.