The Lib Dem minister for flooding whose own constituency was submerged during recent floods flip-flopped yesterday over the future of hundreds of Environment Agency (EA) jobs.

Cornwall North MP Dan Rogerson found himself in hot water as Labour MPs tackled him over plans to sack 550 flooding specialists.

The cuts were put on hold last month after workers fought to save homes and help communities cope with England's flood crisis.

Middlesborough South MP Tom Blenkinsop demanded to know whether ministers were waiting to spring the cuts on workers in the future.

Mr Rogerson implied that £270 million in extra flood defence funding since February would stem the flow of job losses.

But he added: "Of course the agency, like all other departments, needs to respond to the need to tackle the defecit."

Labour MP for Chesterfield Toby Perkins pointed out that would be little comfort to workers who were up to their waist in flood water.

"Environment Agency staff will be feeling really pretty disgruntled," he told the Commons.

"After all that work they've done, at a time when all of us were worried about the floods, they are facing huge numbers of jobs cuts."

Labour MPs also told Environment Secretary Owen Paterson to make a reduced water prices scheme for poor customers compulsory for privateers.

Mr Paterson refused to do so despite just three companies operating the voluntary scheme.

He said: "There's no such thing as a free lunch. Every time there is a reduction for one consumer there has to be a rise for others."