Despite the remarkable efforts of the emergency services, thousands of people have seen their homes flooded, their possessions ruined and their lives disrupted.

Sadly too, some lives have been lost. It's not possible, of course, to be sure these storms are the result of climate change.

But the increasing frequency of such extreme weather here, in the rest of Europe and around the world, does lend support to those who say that global warming is no longer a theory but is a daily fact of life.

And, of course, in and immediate and practical sense there are lessons to be learnt from the flooding and the havoc caused. We must see, for instance, how flood defences can be improved to help existing communities.

We must also ensure that threat from flooding is given more serious consideration in planning any new development. The Government for it's part will carry on working with the emergency services, local authorities and others to try and make sure that we have the best possible defences against these changes in weather that we can have.

And on an international as well as national level, we will continue to give the lead on tackling the issue of climate change. Let me turn also to the other big issue that is concerning people which is in respect of fuel and the possibility of fuel duty protests over the next few days and weeks.

I believe that no government could possibly give in or yield to the types of demands that are made by some of the fuel protesters. But I want to address myself instead to the issue of the demands themselves, because some of these demands which range from anything from a 15p to a 26p cut in fuel duty,

would have economic consequences far beyond those that the protesters, at the moment at any rate, are prepared to accept.

At the moment the British economy is the fourth strongest economy now in the world. And we have managed, through changes in economic management, to produce a stability which has delivered the lowest inflation in Europe,

mortgage rates at half the level of the last Government, billions of pounds saved in debt repayments, rising living standards, and approximately one million more people in work with the lowest unemployment levels seen for over 20 years.