Some parts of the country may have lost out on funding from the programme because they were less able to secure partnership funding.49 In February 2021, we recommended Defra and the Agency should identify areas where there is likely to be a shortfall in local authority resources and private sector contributions.50 Defra undertook to do this by July 2021, but has still not done so.51 Defra is using some of the capital programme funding to mitigate the risk that flood schemes do not progress due to difficulties in securing partnership funding.52 Defra told us partnership funding has an important role to play in building flood defence assets despite it being hard work to get money out of the private sector at times.53 44 Q 20 45 Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Rural proofing, November 2022 ) 46 Qq 4–5,20 47 Q 20 48 Q 22; C&AG’s Report, para 7 49 C&AG’s Report, para 2.9 50 Committee of Public Accounts: Managing food risk. 45th report of Session 2019–21, HC 931, February 2021, para 2 51 C&AG’s Report, para 1.6 52 C&AG’s Report, para 2.10 53 Q 22 Resilience to fooding 15 Flood Re