NORTH Yorkshire MPs have clashed publicly over the county's flood defence planning.
In a heated House of Commons exchange, Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh claimed there had been a "breakdown in communications" during the devastating autumn 2000 floods.
She singled out silver command for criticism, saying it had not always managed to get vital messages across and asked if there were any plans to improve the existing system.
But York MP Hugh Bayley rushed to the defence of silver command, a management team made up of senior figures from the police, army, and Environment Agency.
He said: "Speaking as someone who sat in the silver command meetings during the crisis of the York floods, where I met people from the Army, the fire service, the police, the utilities and other agencies working together, as
well as people such as councillors and MPs who were invited in. I should like to say that the system worked extremely well."
Labour MP Mr Bayley said the emergency services should be "congratulated" on their response to the floods, as well as the Selby rail disaster.
Updated: 10:41 Wednesday, July 16, 2003
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