Environment Secretary Steve Reed tells the Commons he held an emergency meeting with Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy on Monday morning to discuss the response to Storm Bert and ongoing plans to protect communities.

The minister was also briefed on the latest situation on the ground.

“I would like to put on record my thanks to the emergency responders for their immense efforts to help communities across the country,” he says.

Mr Reed says while the storm has passed, “we will continue to see the impacts of this weekend’s heavy rainfall over the next few days”.

“As of 4pm today, there is one severe flood warning in place, 120 flood warnings and 145 flood alerts in force in England,” he says.

Mr Reed says the country’s transport network “has well established plans to respond to severe weather”.

“Unfortunately, residual flood water is affecting the Great Western mainline and Midlands lines,” he adds.

“Railway lines will be opened as soon as it is safe.”