MP Mike Foster has won the battle for Ministers to change the controversial rules used for deciding if areas such as Worcester should secure funding for flood defences.

The Labour MP pressed claims that the current formula is biased against householders who live in less prosperous areas with Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown

Now the Government has agreed to put greater emphasis on how many people would be protected by any flood defence work - rather than the value of their homes.

Mr Foster said he was delighted by the rule change, which will be introduced from next April.

"This will make it easier to establish flood defence schemes for residents and businesses in places such as Worcester," he said.

Mr Foster first raised his concern about the Treasury rule with Mr Brown last year.

At present, areas which flood have an "economic test" applied to them to see if flood defences would be financially viable.

Significantly, this test is based on property values.

The result is that a two-bedroom terraced house near the River Severn, with a lower house price than a similar property at, for example Henley-on-Thames, would find it more difficult to pass the economic test.

In a Commons debate last night, Mr Foster asked Mr Morley for confirmation that the test would now be altered.

Mr Morley said he had accepted the "very strong case that the priorities should be the number of people first, rather than values of properties".

During the debate, Mr Foster welcomed the extra £150m for flood defence work announced in Mr Brown's Comprehensive Spending Review.

He said it should be enough to convince insurers to provide cover to homes which are at risk of flooding for at least the next three years.