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
2026
11 Mar
2026
2026
5 Feb
2026
2026
15 Jan
2026
2026
23 Dec
2025
2025
13 Oct
2025
2025
Report published
4 Sep
2025
2025
9 Jul
2025
2025
Oral evidence
9 Jul
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
11 Jun
2025
2025
Oral evidence
11 Jun
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
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
View on parliament.uk
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
View on parliament.uk
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
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Report – Flood resilience in England | HC 550 | 13 Oct 2025 | 39 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
1 result
26
Recommendation
Rejected
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Commence Schedule 3 of Act, making Sustainable Drainage Systems mandatory in new developments.
Despite repeated pledges by successive governments, Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 has still not been brought into force in England, leaving Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) optional in new developments and missing a critical opportunity to …
Read more
Government Response
The government rejects commencing Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, stating that improved SuDS delivery could be achieved by building on current planning policy and exploring options for adoption and maintenance instead. It intends to consult on national planning policy and legislative options related to SuDS in due course.
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