Reacting to the announcement that £2.65 billion will be spent on
flood defences over the next two years, Environmental Audit
Committee Chair, MP, said:
“In December the Environment Agency warned that 6.3 million homes
were at flood risk in England. Whilst it is great to hear that
today's funding is the largest on record, in protecting 66,500
homes, it is, quite obviously, the tip of the iceberg.
“I hope that the review of the funding formula will pave the way
for the greater and swifter investment desperately needed to
improve the nation's flood resilience.
“Flood defences are going to be relied on more and more as the
harsh realities of climate change continue to devastate
communities hammered by flooding. It is for this reason that the
Environmental Audit Committee has prioritised flood alleviation
and adaptation as one of its very first inquiries of the 2024-29
parliament.
“Plastering over the cracks by making extensive use of flood
defences is not a sustainable long term approach to increasing
flood risk. It is becoming increasingly apparent that we need a
far better grip on measures to mitigate this risk. In the
Committee's evidence session next week, we will consider measures
on land use and planning which can increase a property's
resistance to flooding, as well as the role wetland creation and
rewilding can play in creating natural flood barriers.
“We look forward to hearing about the initiatives under
discussion in the Floods Resilience Taskforce when ministers
appear before the Committee in the latter stages of its inquiry.”
