UK Inquiry Tracker

Managing flood risks

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 17 Dec 2020 Closed: 17 May 2021 Parliament page

Flooding and coastal erosion put lives, livelihoods and people’s well-being at risk. The Environment Agency estimates that 5.2 million homes and businesses in England are at risk of flooding and that around 700 properties are vulnerable to coastal erosion over the next 20 years. In addition, more than two thirds … Read more Flooding and coastal erosion put lives, livelihoods and people’s well-being at risk. The Environment Agency estimates that 5.2 million homes and businesses in England are at risk of flooding and that around 700 properties are vulnerable to coastal erosion over the next 20 years. In addition, more than two thirds of properties in England are served by infrastructure sites and networks that are at risk from flooding. The Met Office’s UK climate projections show more extreme weather events and sea level rises resulting from climate change. This, when combined with increased housing development, will heighten flooding and coastal erosion risks. The government set the Environment Agency (EA) a target of better protecting 300,000 homes from flooding between 2015 and 2021, through an investment of £2.6 billion, and it is currently on track to meet this target within its budget. Since 2015, over 700 new flood defence schemes have been introduced, providing better protection for over 242,000 homes. On average, EA has spent £2,750 for each property with an annual likelihood of flooding of at least 1%. By providing better protection for 242,000 homes, EA’s investment programme has delivered valuable benefits for people, with flood risk being substantially lower for many thousands of homes in England. However, the headline figure of 242,000 homes better protected also does not take account of properties that have become less well protected due to factors such as housing development, climate change and the condition of flood defence assets. Following the 2019-20 autumn and winter floods, the number of properties at risk as a result of the condition of EA flood defences and other infrastructure assets increased by 171% from 70,000 in 2018-19, to 189,000 in 2019-20. The cost of repairing and maintaining flood defences could increase by between 20% and 70% a year as a result of climate change. The government’s approach is designed to ensure deprived areas do not miss out on investment, but the proportion of funding for flood defence going to the 20% most deprived areas has reduced substantially since 2014. The government requires many flood schemes to be part-funded by communities, local authorities or businesses in the private sector. The system includes provisions for deprived communities who may have difficulty raising this type of investment. However, very few of the homes better protected in 2019 were in deprived areas; the proportion rose from 4% in 2011, to 29% in 2014, but then declined to 8% in 2019. Defra believes this decline is because most of the possible schemes in deprived areas have been completed, but has not carried out any analysis to support this explanation. The Committee will question senior officials at Defra and the Environment Agency. If you have evidence on government’s management of protecting homes from flood risk, please submit it here by 6pm on Thursday the January 2021 Show less

7 Recommendations

23 Conclusions

1 Report

1 Oral session

4 Letters

1 Event

Activity timeline 7 events

31 Aug
2021

Report published

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Forty-fifth report from Session 2019-21

6 Jul
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, re Forty-fifth Report of S…

16 Apr
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, re Forty-fifth Report of S…

26 Feb
2021

Report published

Forty-Fifth Report - Managing flood risk

1 Feb
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive, Environment Agency, re recent research into flood risk for deprived areas, dated 27 J…

1 Feb
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary, DEFRA, re regarding parish councils and their role in supporting flood and coa…

14 Jan
2021

Oral evidence

Managing flood risks

Oral evidence sessions 1 session

14 Jan 2021

View on parliament.uk

Managing flood risks

Catherine Wright · Environment Agency Sally Randall · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Sir James Bevan · Environment Agency Tamara Finkelstein · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Forty-Fifth Report - Managing flood risk	HC 931	26 Feb 2021	30	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 results

8 Recommendation Rejected

Forty-Fifth Report - Managing floo…

Despite the known risks, there are still plans to build houses on flood plains.

Despite the known risks, there are still plans to build houses on flood plains. While government policy is not to build on flood plains unless unavoidable, the Agency’s analysis indicates that there could be a large increase – of up … Read more Despite the known risks, there are still plans to build houses on flood plains. While government policy is not to build on flood plains unless unavoidable, the Agency’s analysis indicates that there could be a large increase – of up to 50 per cent - in the number of houses built on flood plains over the next 50 years. The Agency is working with MHCLG on reforms to the planning system and is also a statutory consultee on planning applications; it says that in 99% of cases its advice is accepted by the planning authority. However, the Agency does not have responsibility for surface water flooding which sits with the lead local flood authority, the risk of which can be increased with developments in urban areas. There is also a disconnect between the developers who financially benefit from new housing developments and those who face the consequences of it not being sustainable or insurable. Recommendation: Planning policy guidance notes should be strengthened to avoid new builds in areas prone to flooding wherever possible, but in any case, the environment agency should be involved in measures to mitigate the risk. The Department should report to us by July 2021 on the outcome of its discussions to 8 Managing food risk date with MHCLG on reforms to the planning system and how this will mitigate the risks of building on flood plains and other flood risk areas including those at risk from surface water flooding. This should consider approaches to ensure developers guarantee property can be insured and contributes to flood mitigation measures The Department should work with MHCLG to • ensure mandatory reporting on planning decisions approved in flood risk areas – particularly when the Agency disagrees. • ensure mandatory installation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new builds • consider changes to building regulations to include mandatory flood protection measures in new builds such as raised electrical sockets, fuse boxes and sealed floors Managing food risk 9 Show less

Government Response

The government explicitly rejected the recommendation, stating that existing planning policy (NPPF) already provides a strong steer to avoid building in high-risk flood areas and that the vast majority of planning decisions comply with Environment Agency advice.

HM Treasury

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29 Conclusion Rejected

Forty-Fifth Report - Managing floo…

The Agency told us that the government’s current strategy was not to build houses on...

The Agency told us that the government’s current strategy was not to build houses on flood plains unless there was no alternative and that any developments on flood plains should not increase the risk of flooding. The Agency is a … Read more

Government Response

The government rejects the Committee's (implicit) recommendation regarding building on floodplains, stating that while avoidance is key, development may be necessary in some areas under strict National Planning Policy Framework tests, and ongoing planning reforms will further support flood risk avoidance.

HM Treasury

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30 Conclusion Rejected

Forty-Fifth Report - Managing floo…

Written evidence from Flood Re highlighted that the Agency does not have responsibility for surface...

Written evidence from Flood Re highlighted that the Agency does not have responsibility for surface water flooding and it has concerns about the impacts of developments in dense urban areas where surface water flood risks are high. It also has … Read more

Government Response

The government rejects the implied recommendation, arguing that current planning policy (NPPF) already provides a strong steer to avoid development in high-risk flood areas and that the reformed planning system will further support flood risk avoidance.

HM Treasury

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Government Response AI assessment · 29 of 7 classified

Accepted 14

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 3

Deferred 7

Not Addressed 1

Rejected 3

Total 7 recs + 23 conclusions

Correspondence 4 letters

6 Jul 2021 Correspondence from Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, re Forty-fifth Report of Session 2019-21: ‘Managing Flood Risk’, dated 28 June 2021

Parliament page

16 Apr 2021 Correspondence from Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, re Forty-fifth Report of Session 2019-21: ‘Managing Flood Risk’, dated 7 April 2021

Parliament page

1 Feb 2021 Correspondence from Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive, Environment Agency, re recent research into flood risk for deprived areas, dated 27 January 2021

Parliament page

1 Feb 2021 Correspondence from Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary, DEFRA, re regarding parish councils and their role in supporting flood and coastal erosion risk management locally, dated 27 January 2021

Parliament page