Fourth Report - Flooding
Select Committee
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
HC 170
8 February 2021
No response data available yet.
Recommendations
30 results
1
Para 12
We welcome the doubling of investment in flood defences announced at Budget 2020, amounting to...
Recommendation
We welcome the doubling of investment in flood defences announced at Budget 2020, amounting to £5.2 billion over the next six years. It is vital that measures to address the growing, long-term, flood and coastal risk in the face of …
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2
Para 16
We welcome the steps taken thus far to improve the partnership funding formula, to better...
Recommendation
We welcome the steps taken thus far to improve the partnership funding formula, to better take account of climate change and the wider impacts of flooding. However, it is disappointing that the Government’s call for evidence on further changes to …
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4
Para 23
While we acknowledge the great value of partnership contributions from public sources, it is obvious...
Recommendation
While we acknowledge the great value of partnership contributions from public sources, it is obvious that private sector investment is too low (as the Government has implicitly accepted), and this could contribute to uncertainty about whether schemes will be deliverable. …
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6
Para 29
It is critical that the considerable outlay of public money through the Government’s £5.2 billion...
Recommendation
It is critical that the considerable outlay of public money through the Government’s £5.2 billion capital investment in flood defences is not wasted through a failure to adequately resource the maintenance of new and existing assets. We are concerned Flooding …
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7
Para 35
The Government’s refusal to set a national standard for resilience to flooding means there is...
Recommendation
The Government’s refusal to set a national standard for resilience to flooding means there is uncertainty about the level of its ambition. We would expect the Government to show leadership in the face of severe and growing risk by setting …
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8
Para 36
Climate change poses a grave threat to the flood resilience of communities, with the Climate...
Recommendation
Climate change poses a grave threat to the flood resilience of communities, with the Climate Change Committee warning that warming of 4°C or more implies inevitable increases in flood risk even in the most ambitious adaptation scenarios considered. The Government …
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9
We welcome the focus on protecting not just homes, but also other properties.
Recommendation
We welcome the focus on protecting not just homes, but also other properties. It is crucial that the success or otherwise of flood risk management interventions is closely monitored, in order to demonstrate progress toward strategic objectives and ensure value …
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10
Para 44
The Government must provide leadership to ensure that the division of flood risk responsibilities among...
Recommendation
The Government must provide leadership to ensure that the division of flood risk responsibilities among various organisations does not result in local communities experiencing a less efficient and responsive approach to flood risk management than if all responsibilities were brought …
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12
Local authorities will be a key delivery partner for the Government’s new flooding policies, so...
Recommendation
Local authorities will be a key delivery partner for the Government’s new flooding policies, so we are very concerned by evidence of inconsistency and shortcomings in capacity. While it is for local authorities to take local decisions, central Government must …
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13
Para 58
We recognise and pay tribute to the substantial effort undertaken by all emergency responders, as...
Recommendation
We recognise and pay tribute to the substantial effort undertaken by all emergency responders, as well as local communities and the armed services, in responding to the severe flooding over the autumn and winter of 2019–20. However, we are concerned …
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14
Para 64
It is welcome that the Government has now put in place a package of support...
Recommendation
It is welcome that the Government has now put in place a package of support measures for households and businesses impacted by severe flooding. While it is right that local authorities will usually be best placed to deliver these measures …
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16
The Government should supplement its July 2020 policy statement with an additional action plan, developed...
Recommendation
The Government should supplement its July 2020 policy statement with an additional action plan, developed with local partners, for the long-term physical, economic, and psychological recovery of communities impacted by flooding. This should include a clear explanation of which national …
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17
Para 73
It is widely recognised that inappropriate development in areas at risk from flooding represents a...
Recommendation
It is widely recognised that inappropriate development in areas at risk from flooding represents a serious threat to flood resilience, particularly as the scale of the risk is 50 Flooding likely to increase with climate change. Defra must do more …
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18
Para 79
We are concerned that the words on flood risk in national planning policy still do...
Recommendation
We are concerned that the words on flood risk in national planning policy still do not always translate into actions. We are encouraged by the Government’s proposal that planning applications approved against flood risk advice could in future be subject …
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19
Para 80
While we welcome the commitment to consider improving transparency for flood risk advice, the Government...
Recommendation
While we welcome the commitment to consider improving transparency for flood risk advice, the Government must ensure that any development which still goes ahead against advice is clearly communicated to prospective homebuyers. The Government should ensure that information on development …
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20
Para 81
It is clear that planning and risk management authorities must be empowered and resourced to...
Recommendation
It is clear that planning and risk management authorities must be empowered and resourced to effectively monitor and enforce the fulfilment of planning conditions in areas at risk of flooding. The Government should urgently review whether planning conditions to mitigate …
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21
Para 85
We welcome the Government’s commitment to act upon our recommendations regarding the cumulative impact on...
Recommendation
We welcome the Government’s commitment to act upon our recommendations regarding the cumulative impact on flood risk of smaller developments. While we recognise that national planning policy does refer to cumulative impacts, this has clearly not allayed concerns that these …
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22
We are very concerned that local planning authorities lack the skills base and resources to...
Recommendation
We are very concerned that local planning authorities lack the skills base and resources to effectively factor the impacts of climate change into development decisions. While plans and individual decisions are rightly made at a local level, it is the …
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23
Para 92
The engagement of communities in the development of local plans is already inadequate, and the...
Recommendation
The engagement of communities in the development of local plans is already inadequate, and the proposed reforms to the planning system must not compound this problem. Greater community involvement in planning decisions in many areas at flood risk would have …
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24
Para 94
We recognise the concerns of several stakeholders about site-specific Flood Risk Assessments, and the Government...
Recommendation
We recognise the concerns of several stakeholders about site-specific Flood Risk Assessments, and the Government should use its reform of the planning system as an opportunity to investigate this issue further. The Government’s standardisation of technical supporting information should include …
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25
Para 101
A step change is needed in promoting the uptake of appropriate property flood resilience measures.
Recommendation
A step change is needed in promoting the uptake of appropriate property flood resilience measures. It is important that reforms to Flood Re to incentivise PFR form part of wider work aimed at encouraging people to improve the flood resilience …
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26
Para 105
It is essential that the Government works with Flood Re and the insurance industry to...
Recommendation
It is essential that the Government works with Flood Re and the insurance industry to identify and address continuing obstacles to the uptake of insurance among people at risk from flooding. The Government should set out what further research will …
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27
We understand the Government’s argument that businesses are in a different position compared to households...
Recommendation
We understand the Government’s argument that businesses are in a different position compared to households in respect of flood insurance cover. However, we are concerned about the position of small and medium-sized enterprises, which do not benefit from any Government-backed …
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28
Para 111
It is essential that work is done to improve understanding of the scale of surface...
Recommendation
It is essential that work is done to improve understanding of the scale of surface water flood risk at a national and local level. In particular, we are concerned to hear evidence of surface and foul water flooding caused or …
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29
Para 115
Water and sewerage companies have an important role to play in managing flood risk and...
Recommendation
Water and sewerage companies have an important role to play in managing flood risk and we welcome moves to put drainage planning by companies on a statutory footing. It will be necessary for other Risk Management Authorities and owners of …
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31
Para 125
The Government should explain how it will promote the retrofitting of SuDS and an integrated...
Recommendation
The Government should explain how it will promote the retrofitting of SuDS and an integrated approach to water management through measures such as rainwater harvesting.
32
Working with natural processes is an important part of a holistic approach to flood risk...
Recommendation
Working with natural processes is an important part of a holistic approach to flood risk management. There are several initiatives that could serve as delivery vehicles for natural flood management, including the new Environmental Land Management scheme, and a catchment-based …
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33
The Government has been clear that paying farmers for measures such as floodwater storage forms...
Recommendation
The Government has been clear that paying farmers for measures such as floodwater storage forms a key part of its plans. Any measures which call on farmers and land managers to allow their land to be used in this way …
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34
Para 142
We have listened with great concern to evidence that local communities feel disengaged and ignored...
Recommendation
We have listened with great concern to evidence that local communities feel disengaged and ignored in decisions relevant to flood risk. It is clear that, where risk management authorities do engage with local people, this engagement is often not perceived …
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35
The Government should review the institutional arrangements for community engagement in flood risk management, to...
Recommendation
The Government should review the institutional arrangements for community engagement in flood risk management, to identify best practice and opportunities for more effective approaches. The Government should also commit to ensuring that risk management authorities are resourced and supported to …
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Conclusions (5) Observations and findings — click to expand
3
Conclusion
Para 22
We share the concern of our predecessor Committee about the apparent stalling of private sector contributions under the partnership funding model. The recent National Audit Office report shows the Government faces an uphill struggle to reverse the decline in private sector contributions. We welcome the steps the Government is taking …
5
Conclusion
Para 24
The Environment Agency should facilitate this by keeping a record of schemes that are unable to proceed due to being unable to secure adequate partnership contributions, including a quantification of the losses in flood resilience that result.
11
Conclusion
Para 48
The responsibility of riparian owners to maintain watercourses so as not to increase flood risk to others is well established in common law. Obviously, individuals must first know whether they are riparian owners, and their responsibilities, if they are to be expected to discharge them. Risk management authorities also need …
15
Conclusion
Para 68
Our engagement with local communities at risk of flooding has highlighted the significant long-term challenges that result from a flood. In particular, the mental health impacts of flooding have been vividly described to us. This includes both the initial trauma of having one’s home flooded, and the resultant anxiety whenever …
30
Conclusion
Para 123
While the uptake of sustainable drainage systems has improved in recent years, we are concerned that the installation of high-quality SuDS features delivering multiple environmental benefits may still be insufficiently incentivised. The evidence we have received clearly shows that the non-statutory approach to promoting SuDS, coupled with the persistence of …