Question
Storms can strike anywhere at any time, as I found out last week. In many of our communities, neighbours and volunteers step in at critical times. In North Warwickshire and Bedworth, groups such as the Fillongley Flood Group step in to keep homes safe. What more can the Government do to ensure that community groups can help make sure that all vulnerable people are ready?
Answer
My hon. Friend makes a really important point. She speaks about the kind of group that all of us will have in our constituency—those local groups that come together to provide support. On a recent visit to Leicestershire, I saw the excellent work done by a local flood action group to protect their community following floods. We have been very careful to ensure that the design of this campaign has been worked through with local authorities, local resilience forums, and a range of voluntary and charitable organisations. I believe very much in the public and community spirit found right across the country. We want to encourage and enable activity of this kind, so that when an everyday emergency does strike, communities can come together and look out for each other.33% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (35/100)
The reply describes one concrete mechanism: a campaign designed with local authorities, resilience forums and voluntary organisations. It also states an aim to encourage and enable community activity, and gives a local example. It does not say what additional steps will be taken to make sure vulnerable people in particular are reached, and the wording stays general throughout, so the question is only partly answered. The person who asked would likely need to submit a follow-up for specific commitments.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What more can the Government do to ensure that community groups can help make sure that all vulnerable people are ready for severe weather and other emergencies? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply points to one concrete mechanism, a campaign designed with local authorities, resilience forums and voluntary organisations (seq 4), and states an aim to "encourage and enable" community activity (seq 6). It never says what additional steps will be taken to ensure vulnerable people specifically are reached, so the "what more" is only gestured at, and the Leicestershire anecdote (seq 3) is illustrative rather than an answer. |