Is England prepared for future flood risk? Water Minister & Environment Agency face Committee questions
On Wednesday, the Environmental Audit Committee will wrap up its inquiry into flood resilience in England as it hears from the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Extreme weather events are set to increase in coming years, as the impacts of climate change continue to impact communities and businesses and severely disrupt travel and major infrastructure.
Wednesday’s session will see MPs explore the coherence of the UK’s national flooding policy and consider whether the UK is adequately prepared to meet the growing risk of flooding.
Meeting details
In the first panel, the Committee will ask the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, Philip Duffy, whether current planning rules do enough to prevent high-risk development in areas vulnerable to flooding. MPs may also consider whether the Environment Agency’s flood defences capital programme offers value for money and accounts for the long-term risks posed by climate change.
MPs will then question Emma Hardy, Minister for Water and Flooding, and a senior DEFRA official as they consider if the Government is prepared for the long-term risks of flooding. Questions are likely to consider if sufficient funding has been allocated and whether more should be done to improve the communication strategy and community preparedness in the event of a flood, to avoid undue stress being placed on those affected.