Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that farmers continue to receive support for managing their land to prevent flooding beyond 2025; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of there being no replacement funding available in 2026 on flood risk and soil health .
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is increasing its funding for flood protection. We are investing £4.2 billion over three years in flood defences across the country – an average of £1.4 billion each year and a 5% increase compared to the current spending review period. This money will fund construction of new flood schemes and maintain and repair existing defences.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce a successor scheme to support on-farm natural flood management and drainage maintenance from 2026 onwards.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is increasing its funding for flood protection. We are investing £4.2 billion over three years in flood defences across the country – an average of £1.4 billion each year and a 5% increase compared to the current spending review period. This money will fund construction of new flood schemes and maintain and repair existing defences.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued on compensation for farmers for (a) crop loss, (b) soil compaction and (c) business interruption caused by (i) leaks and (ii) repair works on water undertakers’ apparatus on private farmland; and whether she plans to review those arrangements.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Water Industry Act 1991, Section 181, Ofwat has powers to determine particular customer disputes about how companies go about undertaking work on their assets in private land.
Ofwat can determine compensation of up to £5,000 in relation to:
Furthermore, this Government took decisive action to increase customer protections by updating the Guaranteed Standards Scheme which came into force 2 July 2025, increasing customer compensation by more than double when they have been failed by water companies.
The standards, outlined in the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, set out a baseline for customer service in the water sector. They include providing timely restoration of water supply following an interruption, responding to written complaints and managing the risk of sewer flooding.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of National England's decision to not accept complaints on injurious weeds on (a) agriculture and (b) the public.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Advice on the management and control of injurious weeds is published on GOV.UK. Natural England did not accept new weeds complaints in 2025. This was a temporary measure whilst they reviewed the approach to addressing injurious weeds, to improve access to appropriate advice and guidance and ensure enforcement resources are targeted most effectively. The complaints process will reopen as usual in April 2026.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of compliance by water companies with their statutory obligations to maintain accurate digital maps of (a) potable water mains, (b) service reservoirs and (c) isolation valves in rural areas.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is preparing to respond to the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission, including on the extent and enforcement of current water industry mapping requirements. Reforms outlined in this response will form the basis of a new water reform bill to be introduced early in this Parliament.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will take steps to require the Environment Agency to resume responsibility for the (a) inspection, (b) cost and (c) maintenance of (i) main rivers, (ii) the Avon, (iii) Brinkworth Brook, (iv) Olivemead Drain, (v) Dauntsey Brook and (vi) the Bourne; and if she will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Environment Act 1995 to ensure that main rivers are maintained as critical infrastructure funded through public spending.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I fully recognise the importance of flood risk maintenance. The Government has committed to redirecting £108 million in 2024/25 and 2025/26 into urgent flood and coastal defence maintenance to halt the decline of flood asset condition following years of under investment.
Watercourse management responsibilities fall to different bodies. Riparian landowners are required to maintain watercourses, under common law, while the Environment Agency (EA) uses its permissive powers to undertake maintenance on main rivers to manage flood risk.
The EA prioritises maintenance funding rigorously and focusses on those areas and activities which deliver the greatest overall benefits for people and property, including reducing flood risk and securing value for money.
The Government has no plans to bring forward legislative changes to amend the Environment Act 1995.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of households on water company priority services registers that have experienced supply interruptions of (a) six, (b) 12 and (c) 24 hours or more in each of the last five years.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Approximately 3,112,400 customers were on the Priority Services Register in 2023/24.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of annual re-validation requirements for priority services register customers on retention of vulnerable households; and if she will consider introducing an (a) opt-out and (b) auto-renewal model for customers (i) aged 75+, (ii) on disability benefits and (iii) with clinically significant needs.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not regulate the priority services register. Ofwat, as the economic regulator, has made clear in their priority services register guidance that companies should achieve actual contact with 35% of households on their priority services register every two years, and attempt contact with 90% of households on the register every two years.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of households registered on water companies’ priority services registers in each region of England.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Approximately 3,112,400 customers were on the Priority Services Register in 2023/24. More precise information is not held by the department.