Minister for Water and Flooding (): Storm Claudia brought heavy
rain and high winds to the UK, resulting in flooding to several
areas. The worst impacts were felt in Wales, where a major
incident was declared in Monmouth. In England, the Environment
Agency is reporting 57 properties flooded to date, with 18,000
properties protected by flood defences. The rain has now passed,
and the situation is improving.
My sympathies go to all those affected by the flooding. I have
seen first-hand the disruption and distress it causes to
communities. My thanks go to the Environment Agency, emergency
services, local authorities and other responders who have
protected and supported communities and who will continue to do
so.
As flooding is a devolved policy, I have contacted the First
Minister of Wales to offer my support. The Environment Agency has
offered support locally including any mutual aid that may be
requested by Natural Resources Wales.
Strong action was taken in preparation, and during, Storm Claudia
to protect communities. Over the weekend, the Environment Agency
issued flood warnings and alerts to over 165,000 people. Flood
defences were operated in dozens of locations, including the new
scheme recently completed at Beales Corner in Bewdley.
Storm Claudia will not be the last storm we face. Flooding poses
an increasing risk to many communities. This government is
therefore responding to today's challenges, whilst also investing
for the future, investing in our flood defences and building
long-term resilience.
This government has set up the Floods Resilience Taskforce to
advise Ministers on flood resilience and preparedness nationally
and locally, and to provide key learnings from previous major
flood incidents. The Taskforce brings together ministers from
Defra, MHCLG, Cabinet Office and the Department for Transport,
together with experts from the Environment Agency, the Met
Office, local authorities and mayoral Offices, emergency
responders, the insurance industry and rural, farming and
environmental groups.
In recent months, Taskforce members have delivered a range of
improvements. The Met Office and Environment Agency have improved
national flood modelling. The Agency recently launched a new
flood warning system that delivers more timely, accurate, and
accessible flood warnings, helping communities across the country
prepare and respond more effectively. Defra and the Environment
Agency have exercised national coordination arrangements. MHCLG
has raised awareness of flood recovery schemes with local
authorities. In September, the Taskforce reviewed flood
preparedness for flooding this autumn and winter.
The government is committing more than £10.5 billion by 2036, to
deliver the largest flood programme in history, protecting
900,000 properties. Since this government came into office, the
Environment Agency has already delivered 151 schemes, ensuring
24,000 properties are better protected.
Climate change means that more communities will face heightened
risks of flooding. In October, following a public consultation,
we announced reforms to make it quicker and easier to deliver the
right defences in the right places by simplifying flood funding
rules. These new funding rules will come into effect with the
start of the new floods programme in April.
Maintaining flood defence infrastructure is essential to ensure
reliability, safety, and long-term value. In total, we have
reprioritised £108 million into maintenance, halting the decline
in asset condition, including urgent repairs to defences damaged
in previous flooding events. Without this intervention, their
condition would continue to decline year after year.
Flood insurance is also a valuable tool to help people recover
from flooding. That is why we are supporting people to access
insurance through our partnership with Flood Re, a joint
initiative between the government and the insurance industry that
ensures households at the highest risk of flooding can access
affordable insurance. In the financial year 2024/25 alone, Flood
Re provided cover for over 345,000 household policies.
We are committed to improving property flood resilience. In
October, the Environment Agency published the ‘Flood Ready'
review. Its recommendations will be taken forward by a core
leadership group of industry and government, who will work
closely together to prioritise and deliver key actions. We are
working with industry to promote the Build Back Better scheme.
This initiative ensures that properties affected by flooding are
improved, reducing time families spend out of their homes and
lowering the overall cost of recovery.
This government will continue its steadfast work to protect
communities from flooding, improving preparedness, response and
recovery.
