InFebruary 2003 the Cabinet agreed a Statement of Commitments and an action plan inthe form of the National Flooding Framework; this aims to address the problems offlooding through four areas of action, namely awareness, avoidance, alleviationand assistance. In addition, the Flooding Issues Advisory Committee was set up in2005 to assist in the on-going development of national policy on sustainable floodmanagement, and to help implement the National Flooding Framework.