Government announces £50m fund for flooding victims

Chancellor George Osborne has today announced a £50m fund for businesses and families affected by the recent floods from Storm Desmond in Cumbria and Lancashire.

The announcement comes after the British Hospitality Association (BHA) and Cumbria Tourism board called on the chancellor to allocate extra funding to businesses in the sector hit by the flood.

The chancellor was taking part in Prime Minister’s Questions, in response to a query from shadow first secretary of state Angela Eagle asking for assurances of rapid help for those affected in the regions.

Cameron himself is still travelling around the flooded region, visiting victims of the disaster, in which Storm Desmond resulted in 341.4mm of rainfall in one day, causing rivers and lakes to overflow and breach flood defences such as those around the city of Carlisle.

It was also revealed yesterday that the Prince’s Countryside Fund had released £40,000 in relief for businesses affected and was working with the Business Emergency Resilience Group (BERG) and the Cumbria Community Foundation to support the communities concerned.

Many hotels, restaurants and pubs were affected â€" including the Trout hotel in Cockermouth, and L’Enclume in Cartmel â€" and now face extended closures and high insurance claims during the otherwise-busy Christmas and new year period, all just six years after the 2009 flood that devastated the same communities.

Cumbrian hotels and restaurants count the cost of Storm Desmond >>Cumbrian floods: BHA calls on government as Countryside Fund gives £40,000 >>