Flood resilience in England

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 10 Dec 2024 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on flood resilience in England, focusing on how flood resilience can be strengthened in response to increasing risks from extreme weather, rising sea levels, and evolving flood hazards. Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find … Read more
24 Recommendations
15 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
7 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 19 events
19 Mar
2026
Correspondence
11 Mar
2026
Correspondence
5 Feb
2026
Correspondence
15 Jan
2026
Correspondence
23 Dec
2025
Report published
13 Oct
2025
Report published
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
9 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
9 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
11 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
11 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
9 Jun
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
9 Jul 2025
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Dr Sebastian Catovsky · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Hardy MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Philip Duffy · Environment Agency
11 Jun 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2; Panel 3
Emma Brown · Yorkshire Water Emma Howard Boyd CBE · Public First Jonathan Moxon · Leeds City Council Mark Shepherd · The Association of British Insurers (ABI) Martin Lennon · Flood Re Matthew Shelton · Network Rail Megan Dunford · Zurich UK
19 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Graham French · Kingfisher Café Ian Moodie · Association of Drainage Authorities Julie Foley OBE · Environment Agency Mary Long-Dhonau OBE · FloodMary.com Siobhan Connor · Shrewsbury Flood Action Group Tracey Garrett · National Flood Forum
12 Feb 2025
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1
Celia Davis · Town and Country Planning Association Hannah Burgess · Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) Rachel Hallos · National Farmers' Union
22 Jan 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Paul Sayers · Sayers and Partners Professor Briony McDonagh · University of Hull Professor Jim Hall · National Infrastructure Commission Professor Larissa Naylor · University of Glasgow Professor Richard Dawson · Climate Change Committee The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE · Climate Change Committee
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report – Flood resilience in England HC 550 13 Oct 2025 39 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
23 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Prioritise funding for flood-risk communities and design framework for fairer, inclusive outcomes.
As the Government prepares to implement the new investment framework from April 2026, it must prioritise funding for communities most at risk from flooding. A simpler system must also be a fairer one, capable of supporting those facing the greatest … Read more
Government Response
The government outlines that its new rules for investment will give equal weighting to all types of benefit and value co-benefits, committing to invest a minimum of 20% and 40% of funds in the 20% and 40% most deprived communities respectively, over the next three and ten years.
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39 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Consult on strengthening insurance in flood resilience and pilot Flood Performance Certificates by 2025.
By the end of 2025, the Government should consult with insurers and stakeholders on strengthening the role of insurance in flood resilience. This should include promoting and simplifying access to the Build Back Better scheme. The Government should support the … Read more
Government Response
The government supports the piloting of Flood Performance Certificates by Flood Re and has encouraged the insurance industry to promote the Build Back Better scheme through roundtables and the FloodReady report. Industry bodies have committed to actions including developing FPC prototypes and raising customer understanding of flood resilience.
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Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 24 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 8
Not Addressed 20
Rejected 1
Total 24 recs + 15 conclusions
Correspondence 7 letters
19 Mar 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to flooding and the National Planning Policy Framework, 19 March
Parliament page
11 Mar 2026 To committee Letter from Town and Country Planning Association relating to planning for flood risk and the current consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, 25 February
Parliament page
5 Feb 2026 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State Environment, Food & Rural Affairs relating to the government’s response to the Committee’s report on Flood Resilience in England, 30 January 2026
Parliament page
15 Jan 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the Governments response to the Flood Resilience in England Report, 15 January 2026
Parliament page
4 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Environment Agency Chief Executive relating to the Flood Resilience in England hearing of 9 July 2025, 22 July 2025
Parliament page
9 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responding to the Committee's 28 May 2025 letter on flood budget, dated 5 June 2025
Parliament page
28 May 2025 From committee Letter to Chancellor and Defra Secretary of State on flood budget, dated 28 May 2025
Parliament page