Last week, Robbie Moore MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), visited Rutland and Lincolnshire to discuss Government support following recent flooding.

The Minister, whose area of responsibility includes floods and water, began by attending a Flooding Summit organised by Alicia Kearns MP with local farmers and landowners.

The Minister assured Rutland farmers and landowners that the Government is currently reviewing the best mechanism for Government support during volatile weather, such as the unprecedented rainfall seen during Storm Babet and Storm Henk. The Farming Recovery Fund is under review and the Government is working to ensure the fund supports those who most urgently need support and is more focused on agricultural land.

Ahead of upcoming Government announcements in the Farm to Fork Summit held at Downing Street next week (14 May), the Minister also highlighted the £75 million package announced in the Spring Budget for internal drainage boards to protect farms from future floods.

Following the meeting, at Alicia's request the Minister met with residents and the Environment Agency by the River Welland in Tallington to learn more about the recent flooding problems in the village and what urgent action needs to be taken to prevent flood events from reoccurring.

Robbie Moore and Alicia Kearns outside the Flooding Summit at the Rutland Showground. Image credit: Alicia Kearns MP.

Both Alicia Kearns and Gareth Davies had raised extreme flooding experienced by Tallington and other villages like Greatford with the Minister.

Alicia Kearns, Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, said: "Following the unprecedented flooding episodes we have experienced locally, I invited the Flooding Minister to Rutland to discuss the Government support our farmers and landowners need.

"We had productive discussions about the detrimental impact of flooding on farmers livelihoods and the work the Government is doing to review the current funding framework to ensure we have the support in place to mitigate and respond to future flood events.

"Residents in Tallington are rightly concerned about what future rainfall may mean for their village after being significantly impacted over the past few months. It was encouraging to hear the Minister's words of support and ambition to do all he can to help find a solution."

Gareth Davies, Member of Parliament for Grantham and Stamford, said: "The awful flooding we experienced at the start of this year had a significant impact on many households and businesses, especially in our villages.

"Our response as a community has been second-to-none, and I am grateful for the Minister visiting Tallington to see this first-hand.

"Alicia and I will continue to work with the Government and local stakeholders to push for improvements to our local future flood resilience."