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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the potential costs of making necessary improvements to flood defences in Carlisle since the recent floods affecting that area.

The Government will invest up to £58 million in flood defences in Cumbria once the Environment Agency has concluded a review of its need.

The Environment Agency expects their initial assessments will be complete in the summer. Any investments are likely to form a combination of improvements to existing defences, new defences and upstream attenuation / ‘slow the flow’ measures.