Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Flood Risk: Resilience Framework

Thursday 24 October 2024 · 2 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Edward Morello raised concerns about the UK Government resilience framework's effectiveness in mitigating flood risk.
  • Discussions are ongoing between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business and Trade about activating the flood recovery framework.
  • The Government has established a flood taskforce to address future incidents and manage local response networks.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Edward Morello Lib Dem West Dorset
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Following significant flooding at the end of September, there is a need to assess the impact on communities and ensure proper support mechanisms are in place.

Question

In light of recent flooding experienced at the end of September, I am concerned about the UK Government resilience framework's ability to help communities mitigate against flood risk. What steps will be taken to ensure that this framework supports communities effectively?

Answer from Abena Oppong-Asare

Discussions are ongoing between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business and Trade about activating the flood recovery framework. The stringent criteria for activation by Ministers have not yet been met due to a relatively low number of properties flooded in September.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask regarding activation of the flood recovery framework was addressed partially, acknowledging ongoing discussions but without clear commitment or timeline.

How: Under Review

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Q2 Edward Morello Lib Dem West Dorset
Climate Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Climate change has increased the frequency of heavy rainfall, leading to significant flooding in rural constituencies like West Dorset. In 2021, over 700 properties were at risk due to severe flooding in Bridport.

Question

Given the increasing flood risks due to climate change and recent events in my constituency such as impassable roads and flooded villages, what steps are being taken by the Government to ensure that rural constituencies like West Dorset receive necessary funding and resources for flood prevention and emergency response?

Answer from Abena Oppong-Asare

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs leads on flooding in England. The emergency operations centre (EOC) stands up when a flood forecast or incident justifies it, and works with Government to manage local response networks. A flood taskforce has also been set up to address future issues like those in the hon. Gentleman's constituency.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for detailed funding and resource commitments was not addressed.

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