Mr Tennyson said: “This announcement from the Secretary of State is a welcome start and will provide some initial relief and support to households and businesses who have been devastated by floods. It is imperative that this money rescues those affected as quickly as possible and we await further clarity and detail in this regard.

“I am deeply conscious that if we had an Executive in place, we would be in a stronger position to influence these schemes and build upon this support.

“Short term interventions, whilst absolutely essential to ensure businesses and families can rebuild, are no substitute for a concerted programme of investment led by an Executive with a focus on climate adaptation, flood alleviation and investment in wastewater infrastructure.”