In Somerset, the Environment Agency continues to pump 3 million tonnes of water a day off the Levels alongside high velocity pumps provided by the fire and rescue service. But no amount of pumping will solve the current problem completely because the land is so saturated, so dredging will start as soon as the waters have receded enough for it to be safe to do so.
We need a long-term solution, so earlier today I announced a further £100 million to repair and maintain those flood defences which have taken such a battering, while protecting 165,000 homes in recent weeks, in addition to a record £2.4 billion being spent by this government.