On Wednesday 18 December, MPs will hear evidence on whether Wales was prepared for the recent floods and if it is ready for future flooding.
Meeting details
Storm Bert alone caused flooding of over 400 properties in South Wales and over £250 million of economic damage across the UK. In future years, climate change is likely to worsen the severity and frequency of flooding.
The evidence session will explore if the warnings given for Storm Bert were adequate to allow people to protect themselves from flooding, and how robust the weather warning system is in ensuring the public’s safety for future extreme weather events.
Residents and local government officials expressed concerns with the weather warning system, with some council leaders saying the warnings did not come early enough for Storm Bert.
MPs are also likely to ask the UK and Welsh government agencies responsible for flood warnings and preparedness and how they jointly respond to flooding events in Wales.
MPs may also question witnesses on the challenge of climate change, including the increased risk of coal tips landslides posed by flooding. Storm Bert caused a coal tip landslide in Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent, leaving local businesses without electricity and forcing some families to leave their homes.
The damaging impacts of industrial waste on the environment – including potentially making floods more likely – will also be considered in the Committee’s recently launched inquiry on the legacy of Wales’ industrial past.