Seventh Report - Resilience to flooding

Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee HC 71 17 January 2024
Report Status Government responded
Conclusions & Recommendations 27 items (5 recs)
Source View on Parliament website
Government Response (AI assessment · 27 of 27 classified)
Accepted 19
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 4
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Seventh report from Session 2023-24 · published 2 Apr 2024
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Recommendations & Conclusions

4 results
6 Conclusion Deferred
Write to Committee within 12 months on Flood Re closure implications and transition plan.
Conclusion
We are concerned that Flood Re is not providing the protection that was envisaged and that 2039 will likely be too soon to close down the Flood Re scheme given the increasing risk from flooding and slower progress on protecting … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government agreed but stated Flood Re intends to publish its next Quinquennial Review in July 2024, which the Secretary of State will then consider, effectively deferring the requested information to that process.
HM Treasury
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8 Conclusion Deferred
Environment Agency targets 98% of high consequence flood defence assets at required condition.
Conclusion
The Agency is responsible for maintaining existing flood defence assets that it owns. Its modelling showed that it is best value for money to have 98% of its high consequence assets at required condition. Timely maintenance is important because if … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the Agency is working on evidence to identify the optimal balance of capital and maintenance funding, noting £25 million was moved to maintenance for 2023–24. They commit to continue this work and write to the Committee by Spring 2025 with an updated assessment after the next spending review.
HM Treasury
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9 Conclusion Deferred
Defra underfunded Environment Agency's flood defence maintenance, setting lower 94.5% asset condition target.
Conclusion
Maintaining assets at the required condition needs funding: in preparing for the 2021 Spending Review, the Agency estimated it needed funding of £235 million a year to keep 98% of its assets at their required condition. Defra decided not to … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the Agency is working on evidence to identify the optimal balance of capital and maintenance funding, noting £25 million was moved to maintenance for 2023–24. They commit to continue this work and write to the Committee by Spring 2025 with an updated assessment after the next spending review.
HM Treasury
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14 Conclusion Deferred
Over half of Local Planning Authorities rarely inspect flood risk compliance due to resource scarcity.
Conclusion
In July 2021, Defra published a review of policy for development in areas at flood risk. This research found that over half of Local Planning Authorities said they rarely or never inspected a new development to check compliance with flood … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, affirming that DLUHC is responsible for national planning policy, compliance, and enforcement, and that it is the role of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to take enforcement action. They note existing policies and ongoing work to strengthen national planning policies on flood risk.
HM Treasury
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