UK APPLICATION TO THE EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY FUND AND EU REFERENDUM

That this House regrets that the Government has yet to submit to the European Solidarity Fund (ESF) a final cost estimate of the flood damage caused by Storm Desmond in winter 2015-16; recognises that the UK's future relationship with the EU is uncertain following the outcome of the referendum on 23 June 2016, and that therefore the status of that application is now unclear; is concerned that this uncertain relationship could mean that communities across the UK lose out on millions of pounds of expected flood relief and resilience funding; and urges the Government to both finalise the UK’s application as soon as possible and seek assurances from the European Commission that, given there is yet to be any change in the legal status of British membership of the EU, this application will be considered under normal ESF rules.