CLAIMS by Conservatives that the government is not doing enough to alleviate the risk of flooding have provoked an angry backlash from some Newport councillors.

Conservative spokesman Greg Knight told the House of Commons that government spending should be doubled to prevent the "despair, upset and sheer emotional distress home owners feel when their homes are flooded".

During Commons question time Mr Knight asked ministers: "Do you accept that so far the policy has been woefully inadequate?"

Tory backbencher Greg Barker said 120,000 homes on the Welsh coastline were "still at risk of flooding" with up to 50% of home owners "unaware of that risk".

He said £15 million given to Welsh flood committees was "paltry", asking: "What plans have you to make further immediate provision?"

Junior Welsh minister Don Touhig said more than £21 million had been provided by the Wales Assembly and government for major repairs following the "unprecedented" level of flooding last year.

The Islwyn MP added: "Last autumn's flooding provided a severe test of the flood warning arrangements but they did prove to be robust.

"The system did very well in the circumstances, most important not a single life was lost and we are all thankful for that.

"Ten thousand homes across England and Wales were affected by flooding but as a result of good flood defences 300,000 homes were protected."

He said the government had also initiated a flood defence review, which was expected to announce its results by Christmas.

But Paul Cockeram, Labour councillor for the ward of Shaftesbury, believes that Newport's susceptibility to flooding would be lessened had a controversial barrage project been given the go-ahead several years ago.

Councillor Cockeram said: "If in Newport we had the barrage project then we would have stopped a lot of flooding.

"It is a bit rich from the Tories to be saying this now because the barrage project was refused by William Hague during his tenure as secretary of state for Wales."

Councillor Cockeram also said he was more than pleased with a partnership between the Welsh Assembly, the local authority, and Welsh Water to lessen the risk of flooding in Malpas.

He said: "I can't really knock the government because the two areas in my ward where there has been a lot of flooding, on Kimberley Terrace and Walford Street in Malpas, are now being sorted out with a one million pound scheme."

Fellow Shaftesbury councillor Bob Poole echoed his colleague's thoughts and said: "I have been a member for 15 years now and I'm now more optimistic about flooding than ever.

"My immediate worry is what happens in between because these schemes take a long time to complete - I just pray whenever it rains the area doesn't flood."

During the Commons debate, Plaid Cymru leader Elfyn Llwyd said £50 million was needed to put things right in Wales. Mr Touhig responded: "There is never enough money to do all the work ... because there is always a problem."