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Flood
Government minister John Healey will meet residents today in a town caught up in devastating floods.
The floods recovery minister will meet staff from the emergency services and other officials involved in the rescue effort and clean-up.
More than 400 people were evacuated from their homes in Morpeth, Northumberland, after the town was "virtually cut off" when the River Wansbeck burst its banks causing the worst flooding since the 1960s.
The situation was so serious an RAF helicopter was called in to help pluck stranded residents to safety.
While in Northumberland, Mr Healey will announce that the Government will operate the Bellwin scheme, which provides emergency financial assistance from Government to Local Authorities to meet the costs of an emergency or disaster.
The minister will also meet local residents whose homes and businesses have been devastated by the weekend's flooding.
He will discuss with them and the agencies who will help get the area back on its feet over the next couple of months what support they need from government, a spokesman said.
The Prime Minister has asked Mr Healey to report back to him following the visit.
Later in the week the minister will meet insurance industry chiefs to discuss their plans for dealing with what may be a large number of claims in affected areas as quickly and effectively as possible.
Meanwhile, Vale of York MP and shadow floods minister Anne McIntosh will visit Pickering in North Yorkshire today to see the impact of the weekend's heavy rain.
Severe flood warnings were issued for the town which has been repeatedly hit by flooding in recent months and years.
She said: "I would like to express my sympathy to all those affected by the weekend's flooding, especially those families who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
"I know this has been a weekend of worry for the people of Pickering as it has been for communities across Yorkshire who worry when the rain starts to fall.
"I want to see for myself how the town coped with the latest spell of heavy rain to cause problems."
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