The information requested can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/infrastructure-and-projects-authority-annual-report-2022.

HM Government fully recognises the impact flooding incidents have on individuals and communities and sympathises with those affected. Flooding has a devastating effect, both in terms of physical damage and impacts on health, including mental health, and financially.

Following the flooding in London last July, local risk management authorities and other partners, led by the Mayor of London and London Councils, came together to discuss how best to mitigate surface water flood risk. This culminated in a Task and Finish Group, co-chaired by the Environment Agency, that looked at a range of issues and made a series of recommendations. Alongside this, Thames Water commissioned an independent review into the performance of its network. The final report sets out several recommendations for Thames Water and other partners.

Since then, they have formed a London Strategic Surface Water Group, which will meet for the first time in December. The Group will ensure that the findings of the London Flood Review are considered and, where there is agreement, who is best placed to implement them. The Environment Agency’s London Area Director and an independent member of the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee are members of the Group.

Having a robust drainage system, both now and for future demand, is crucial in helping to mitigate environmental surface water flooding impacts. To ensure this, the Environment Act 2021 places a new duty on water companies to produce comprehensive Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans, setting out how they will manage and develop their drainage and sewerage networks over the long-term.

These plans will provide a full assessment of the condition and capacity of the nation’s sewer networks. They are being developed in collaboration with other risk management authorities, identifying collaborative short, medium and long-term solutions on a way forward which could include sewerage upgrades where appropriate.

My officials are in touch with the local Environment Agency team and external partners on these matters.

The risk management of surface water flooding is the responsibility of lead local flood authorities (LLFAs) in partnership with highways authorities and water companies. It is for LLFAs to determine the best approach to mitigating the risk, including the use of blue green infrastructure such as regreening.

HM Government fully supports the use of blue green infrastructure, including sustainable drainage systems, grey water recycling and natural flood management where these are appropriate to help manage surface water. We have placed a greater emphasis on this in our 25 Year Environment Plan, our Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Policy Statement and through updated planning policy.

HM Government made changes to its capital programme’s partnership funding rules to enable more surface water schemes – over the lifetime of the 2021-2027 capital programme the Environment Agency expect that at least one third of schemes will support surface water flood management. In addition, we have launched a new £100 million frequently flooded allowance to support communities that have experienced frequent flooding from any source, and are running a £200 million innovative resilience fund across 25 LLFA areas, many of which are exploring solutions to tackle surface water.

First, may I apologise for my oversight in not welcoming the hon. Gentleman to his place at the beginning of this session?

We have made available £5.2 billion, and this is a significant increase in the capital programme over the next few years. Included in that is some dedicated work on property resilience, where we are working with communities and flood forums locally to identify how we can improve the resilience of individual properties and, when there is a flood incident, to make grants available to them so that they can replace some of their doors in order to be more flood-ready in future.

The Environment Agency (EA) is working in collaboration with partners to develop and deliver an ambitious, long-term capital programme to reduce flood risk across Yorkshire.

Within the current six-year investment period from 2015/16 – 2020/21, a total of £650 million is being invested across Yorkshire. This programme will better protect 67,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion by the end of March 2021. In addition to conventionally engineered solutions, this programme includes a number of projects that utilise nature based solutions, providing carbon absorption and net gains alongside flood risk benefits. For example, there are three National Natural Flood Management (NFM) pilot projects in Calderdale, Leeds and Pickering.

Details of Government investment in flood defences after 2021 have not yet been announced. In addition to the above, up to £12.5 million is spent every year in Yorkshire maintaining existing flood defences. To help facilitate flood prevention short term and long term actions, the floods Minister Rebecca Pow MP is planning to meet South Yorkshire MPs in the near future in partnership with the EA and the Mayor of Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

The Environment Agency (EA) is working in collaboration with partners to develop and deliver an ambitious, long-term capital programme to reduce flood risk across Yorkshire.

Within the current six-year investment period from 2015/16 – 2020/21, a total of £650 million is being invested across Yorkshire. This programme will better protect 67,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion by the end of March 2021. In addition to conventionally engineered solutions, this programme includes a number of projects that utilise nature based solutions, providing carbon absorption and net gains alongside flood risk benefits. For example, there are three National Natural Flood Management (NFM) pilot projects in Calderdale, Leeds and Pickering.

Details of Government investment in flood defences after 2021 have not yet been announced. In addition to the above, up to £12.5 million is spent every year in Yorkshire maintaining existing flood defences. To help facilitate flood prevention short term and long term actions, the floods Minister Rebecca Pow MP is planning to meet South Yorkshire MPs in the near future in partnership with the EA and the Mayor of Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

The Environment Agency (EA) develops flood and coastal risk management schemes where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. It uses a consistent set of criteria to prioritise funding for schemes which ensures a fair distribution of funding based on agreed priorities, principles and needs. It does not allocate or collate information separately for rivers or the coast.

The table below shows the EA’s total capital Grant in Aid (GIA) spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management and total revenue maintenance spend in each year since 2010/11 for which data is available. Capital GIA spend includes the construction of new flood and coastal erosion schemes as well as capitalised salaries and other flood risk management activity such as mapping, modelling and flood warning. Revenue maintenance spend includes developing technology and direct maintenance work such as dredging, inspecting assets, and carrying out repairs. Included in the figures is funding to support repairs from significant flood events.

*2010/11 revenue maintenance figure is unavailable

The Environment Agency (EA) develops flood and coastal risk management schemes where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. It uses a consistent set of criteria to prioritise funding for schemes which ensures a fair distribution of funding based on agreed priorities, principles and needs. It does not allocate or collate information separately for rivers or the coast.

The table below shows the EA’s total capital Grant in Aid (GIA) spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management and total revenue maintenance spend in each year since 2010/11 for which data is available. Capital GIA spend includes the construction of new flood and coastal erosion schemes as well as capitalised salaries and other flood risk management activity such as mapping, modelling and flood warning. Revenue maintenance spend includes developing technology and direct maintenance work such as dredging, inspecting assets, and carrying out repairs. Included in the figures is funding to support repairs from significant flood events.

*2010/11 revenue maintenance figure is unavailable

The Environment Agency (EA) develops flood and coastal risk management schemes where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. It uses a consistent set of criteria to prioritise funding for schemes which ensures a fair distribution of funding based on agreed priorities, principles and needs. It does not allocate or collate information separately for rivers or the coast.

The table below shows the EA’s total capital Grant in Aid (GIA) spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management and total revenue maintenance spend in each year since 2010/11 for which data is available. Capital GIA spend includes the construction of new flood and coastal erosion schemes as well as capitalised salaries and other flood risk management activity such as mapping, modelling and flood warning. Revenue maintenance spend includes developing technology and direct maintenance work such as dredging, inspecting assets, and carrying out repairs. Included in the figures is funding to support repairs from significant flood events.

*2010/11 revenue maintenance figure is unavailable

The Heather and Grass Burning regulations 2007 prohibits the burning of heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium, except under licence from Natural England (NE), in a manner that exposes bare soil which extends more than 25m along the bank of a watercourse and is more than a metre wide. NE must be satisfied that the proposed burning is for conservation, enhancement or management of the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations, or for the safety of a person.

The Heather and Grass Burning Code 2007 also outlines good practice on planning where to burn and how to burn safely and responsibly.