Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Flood Preparedness

Thursday 5 February 2026 · 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 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Claire Young asked about property flood resilience in her constituency, referencing the CIRIA C790 code of practice.
  • Patrick Hurley raised concerns about insufficient maintenance of watercourses and lack of investment in drainage infrastructure in his constituency.
  • Sarah Dyke mentioned 50 mm of intense rain falling across Somerset, leading to a major incident declaration and resident worries due to forecasted unsettled weather and high spring tides.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Claire Young Lib Dem Thornbury and Yate
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The recent flooding has affected many communities, prompting a need for better flood resilience measures. The CIRIA C790 code of practice is aimed at promoting property flood resilience but may not be widely known.

Question

I draw the attention of the House to my membership of the all-party parliamentary group on flooding and flooded communities. Protecting homes from flooding is vital in communities such as Pilning, Severn Beach, Yate and Chipping Sodbury, yet the CIRIA C790 code of practice for property flood resilience seems to be a well-kept secret. Will the Minister work with the construction and insurance sectors to raise public awareness of the code, and will she consider formalising it through legislation, ensuring that my constituents have the protection and the lower insurance premiums that they deserve?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)

We recently produced a report, through Peter Bonfield, called “FloodReady”, which was exactly about how we incentivise more people to get property flood resilience. It was about working with contractors, manufacturers and everybody involved in the industry to make this a mainstream option for more people. I highly recommend that the hon. Lady has a look at that report; I hope that she and her constituents find it really useful.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Formalising the CIRIA C790 code of practice through legislation

How: Recommending The Hon. Lady Look At An Existing Report

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Q2 Patrick Hurley Lab Southport
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

Farmers in Southport have reported that watercourses are not being maintained sufficiently, there is a lack of investment in drainage infrastructure, and there's limited capacity to address changing rainfall patterns. They believe an internal drainage board could help manage these issues.

Question

Farmers in my constituency report that watercourses are not being sufficiently maintained, there is not enough investment in drainage infrastructure, and there is a limited ability to deal with changing rainfall patterns and rising water tables. They tell me that the creation of an internal drainage board could help with all that. I know that work has been done to establish new IDBs through a statutory instrument, so will the Minister tell us the current status of that work, and will she please expedite it being laid before the House?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)

I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to the fantastic work of the internal drainage boards in managing water levels, reducing flood risks and supporting communities, businesses and farmers alike. Of course, we are working hard on our statutory instrument. I am sorry that I cannot give him an exact date, but I can guarantee that it is something I am committed to doing.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Providing a specific timeline for laying the statutory instrument before the House

How: Guarantee Of Commitment Without Providing A Concrete Date

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Q3 Sarah Dyke Lib Dem Glastonbury and Somerton
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

50 mm of intense rain fell across parts of Somerset, exacerbating saturated ground conditions. With more unsettled weather forecasted and high spring tides imminent, communities fear a repeat of the 2013-14 floods. Residents need resources to prepare extreme weather resilience plans.

Question

Last week, 50 mm of intense rain fell across large parts of Somerset and exacerbated the already saturated ground, with a major incident declared on Tuesday. With more unsettled weather in the forecast and high spring tides imminent, residents have told me that they are worried they could be facing a repeat of the devastating 2013-14 floods. With the increasingly unpredictable, intense and changing patterns of rainfall, communities must be given the resources they need to prepare extreme weather resilience plans. I thank the Minister for her commitment to meet me in Somerset later this year, but will she bring forward that planned visit to Glastonbury and Somerton to witness the devastating impact that flooding is having on my communities while the floodwater levels remain up?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)

The hon. Lady raises a really important point—I have been following the situation really closely, and it is devastating. She is quite right to point out the trauma and upset caused by flooding. We invested £80 million in Somerset between April 2024 and March 2025 on flood and coastal risk management, and we will allocate another £75 million to Somerset between April 2025 and March 2026. I will check whether my diary aligns so that I can make an earlier visit.

Answered
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