Lives, livelihoods and wellbeing are put at risk by flooding and coastal erosion. According to the Environment Agency (EA), an estimated 5.2m homes and businesses in England are at risk of flooding, and around 700 properties are vulnerable to coastal erosion over the next twenty years.
Government set the EA a target of better protecting 300,000 homes from flooding between 2015 and 2021, through an investment of £2.6bn. While EA is on track to meet this target, a National Audit Office report found that the Government’s narrow focus on targets to better protect homes has not necessarily produced the best return on investment, or represent the full picture in terms of tackling overall flood risk.
Based on the NAO report, the Committee will take evidence from senior officials from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the EA on subjects including:
- Current risk management arrangements;
- What has been achieved in flood protection between 2015 and 2021;
- Government’s preparedness to manage and reduce flood risk in the future.
If you have evidence on these issues please submit it here by 23:59 on Thursday 16 November 2023.
Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.
The Committee cannot investigate individual cases. If you need help with an individual problem you are having, it may be better to contact your constituency MP.