Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Floor Risk Management: Inner Cities

Thursday 9 December 2021 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister regularly meets with the Environment Agency to discuss flood risk management.
  • Department has doubled investment in flood and coastal erosion defences to protect properties.
  • Measures include visits to flood response centres and readiness for winter storm events.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jeff Smith Lab Manchester Withington
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about the adequacy of flood risk management in his constituency, highlighting a near-flooding incident last year where properties were saved by only 2 cm.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on the adequacy of flood risk management in inner cities? In my constituency, we narrowly averted a disastrous flooding incident this time last year when the Mersey flooded. What is the Department's assessment of the state of readiness for flood defences and services as winter approaches?

Answer from George Eustice

I regularly meet the chair of the Environment Agency to discuss flood risk management. We have doubled our investment in flood and coastal erosion defence to £5.2 billion by 2027, protecting 336,000 properties. The Department stands ready for any winter storm events with a good team responding to flood risks.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assessment of readiness in inner cities and detailed measures for the coming peak season were not provided

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Jeff Smith Lab Manchester Withington
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP highlights a near-flooding incident in his constituency last year and expresses concerns about the general state of readiness for flood defences as winter approaches.

Question

What is the Department's assessment of the state of readiness in general of flood defences and flood response services as we go into the peak winter storm season? We narrowly averted a disastrous flooding incident this time last year when the Mersey flooded. What measures are being taken to prepare for increased risk?

Answer from George Eustice

I discussed this issue with the Environment Agency board yesterday. Being alert to flood risk is at the top of our priorities. I visited the flood response centre in Bristol earlier in autumn, and we stand ready for winter storms.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures and detailed readiness assessment were not provided

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Alex Sobel Labour (Co-op) Leeds Central and Headingley
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about the decline in national flood defence spending since 2015 and its impact on protecting properties during increased storm events.

Question

On Boxing day 2015, many town and city centres were devastated by floods. Spending on national flood defences has dropped by 10% from 2015 levels. With more frequent storms, how will the Minister defend residential and business properties with adequate climate adaptation this winter?

Answer from George Eustice

We have made available £5.2 billion for flood defences over the next few years, and we are working with communities on property resilience, identifying improvements and making grants available for doors to be replaced after floods.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures to defend against increased storm events were not detailed

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)