Cameron privately orders Flood Re review to include high value properties

David Cameron is backing the inclusion of council tax Band H properties in Flood Re, according to the Financial Times.

In its current state Flood Re excludes these high value properties, but the Prime Minister wants this to change.

In a Whitehall memo seen by the Financial Times, government backing from Cameron and minister for government policy Oliver Letwin for the change is discussed.

“The PM and Mr Letwin were strongly in favour of this change,” the note says. “The decision is not public.”

Letwin has previously admitted to insurers at a summit at Number 10 that the government was reviewing Flood Re.

His plan is backed by a number of MPs including defence secretary Philip Hammond and shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle.

However, the review has come in for some criticism owing to it not looking at other exclusions from Flood Re, such as new builds and businesses.

One Defra official said it was “not a productive use of government time”.

“The only person who sees this as a massive priority is Oliver Letwin, who seems to be a bit obsessed by it,” the official added. “We would not have prioritised this above other properties that have been excluded.”