Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that flood protection infrastructure, including the Foss Barrier in York, is regularly inspected and maintained.

The Environment Agency regularly inspects and reports on the condition of flood risk management assets across England.

Environment Agency assets are prioritised for funding as part of the annual allocation process. Where appropriate, third-party asset owners are advised on necessary remedial action. Whilst responsibility for third party assets remains with the asset owner, the Environment Agency may by exception use Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCRM) funding to carry out maintenance or repairs where it regards this is urgent to safeguard the public.

For 2025–26, £72 million has been reprioritised from the national flood risk investment programme to maintain flood assets, benefiting around an extra 14,500 properties.

The Foss Barrier is a complex asset with an extensive inspection and maintenance regime. Around 100 days of maintenance activity are carried out each year at the Foss Barrier to inspect its condition, optimise performance, prevent failure and inform maintenance.