"Of course there are some out there who will want to put up premiums and they are trying to find someone to blame. But there is no reason why most people should not continue to receive cover," this minister insisted.He said that plans to overhaul the responsibility for flood defences, streamlining the current system that involves a number of different agencies, would be published next month or in November.Planning guidance had been toughened to stop building on flood plains and now only a tiny fraction of planning permissions went against Environment Agency advice."The insurance companies know our detailed investment programmes. They set this target for investment which we have exceeded," he said.The new investment was being put in as quickly as the construction industry could allow, he added. The Institution of Civil Engineers had estimated that the latest three- year programme would generate work for an additional 300 civil engineers."We have met our commitments. Our capital programme is so great that you have to phase it in because you need more engineers and contractors. Even if I had more money, it couldn't be spent because we've got to prepare for this. We are currently at the maximum capacity," he said.On top of the extra £150m announced this year for defences, some £106m was being spent on flood warning systems, including new schemes to alert those at risk via their mobile phones as well as home phone number.Mr Morley accepted that, with a greater number of claims, some premiums would rise but his advice to homeowners was to shop around for the best deals."Every single area that was flooded in 2000 has had its defences repaired and strengthened And most have new defences under construction.

The numbers of people at risk from flooding are reducing all the time," he said.However, some insurance advisers are telling homeowners in high-risk areas to stay with their current insurers even if premiums rise, in case they are unable to obtain cover from another company.A spokesman for the ABI said an announcement on its plans would be made in the next fortnight but he warned that there would be some people who would inevitably face increased premiums."Insurance companies can't continue to provide cover where flood risk is inevitable. Insurance is, after all, about risk and has never been designed to cover certainties."There are a small number of areas where flooding is now an annual event. It isn't just a question of money, we need to assess how good the infrastructure is," he said.. The Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, has clashed with Britain's rail chief over ramshackle train services.

He is understood to be disturbed by Mr Bowker's conviction that train companies need not be given lengthy franchises to ensure long-term investment.Mr Darling has asked the SRA to give him "something positive" to reveal at next week's Labour Party conference. The only announcement Mr Darling will be able to make will be that Railtrack is expected to come out of administration on 1 October.. Sally and Robert Dowler said they believed their daughter had been abducted and murdered, but until yesterday they had not given up hope. It's the only thing that keeps us going, to think that she's out there and that we're going to get her back."Not surprisingly, the family's mood swung wildly between hope and fear as lead after lead came to nothing. On two occasions police, attempting to prepare the family for the worst, told them a body had been found.