Working in Europe for Everyone in Yorkshire and the Humber

11th March 2008 - Labour MEPs welcome EU flood money for Yorkshire

Yorkshire and the Humber MEPs Richard Corbett and Linda McAvan today welcomed the decision to award £120m of EU aid money to the UK, after MEPs in the European Parliament voted overwhelming in favour of the award. The funding, which comes from the EU Solidarity Fund, will help cover the costs of the floods that devastated Yorkshire and the Humber last year.

Speaking after the vote in the European Parliament, Ms McAvan said:

"Along with other MEP colleagues from the region, I have been pushing for a quick decision to bring Solidarity Fund monies to the UK, to help the government to meet the costs of recovering from last summer's devastating flooding. I was pleased to join MEPs today in voting to approve the package agreed by the European Commission and the government."

The money will now be transferred to the UK Treasury which will then consult with local authorities on how best to allocate the funds.

Richard Corbett said;

"That this is the second largest payment ever from the EU Solidarity Fund is indicative of the huge financial and personal cost paid by the victims. This money will hopefully go some way towards covering those costs"

He added;

"Yorkshire was one of the regions most severely affected by the floods and I would urge local councils to work with the Treasury to get their share of the money"

Notes for Editors

Richard Corbett and Linda McAvan are Labour MEPs for Yorkshire and the Humber
This is the UK's first successful application to the EU Solidarity fund, which was established in 2002.
The funds are designated specifically for relief ie covering costs for emergency repairs to gas, water and electricity supplies