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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will undertake a review of the Government funding provided to catchment flood management plans.

Lead Local Flood Authorities are required to have a local flood risk management strategy. This must include an assessment of local flood risk and objectives for managing risk. The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023-24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022-23.

The Government has committed to reform the current approach to local flood risk planning by 2026. Every area of England will have a more strategic and comprehensive plan that drives long-term local action and investment and supports a catchment-based approach. The Plan for Water also commits to greater join up and better integration between flood and water planning.

As part of the Government’s six-year £200 million innovation fund, £8 million was allocated to develop adaptation pathway plans in four locations across England. Adaptation pathways will look ahead, at least 50 years, to work out what flood defences are necessary in the long-term and when they should be built to avoid unnecessary investment costs in future and missed opportunities.