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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on long term funding solutions for the internal drainage board.

Defra officials are in regular contact with MHCLG officials regarding internal drainage boards (IDBs) and are working together, along with the IDB sector and local authorities, on a new research project. This project will review IDBs’ funding and costs, including considering whether any changes are needed to the IDB funding model.

The review is expected to start this summer and will last for around a year. Once it has concluded Defra and MHCLG will consider the findings carefully.