Claims flood defence spending up 'essentially meaningless'

Committee on Climate Change questions ministers' claims of increased investment and urges more spending on defences

Government claims that it increased spending on flood defences ahead of the wettest December on record are "essentially meaningless", an independent adviser on climate change has said.

Daniel Johns, the head of adaptation at the Committee on Climate Change, urged the government to commit to spending more on defences after weeks of heavy rain caused flooding across the UK.