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 focus new funding for flood prevention on flood mitigation through upper catchment management.

Flood and coastal risk management (FCERM) investment takes place where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. This Government is investing a record £5.2 billion in FCERM schemes. As part of that investment, we are committed to doubling the number of schemes which include nature-based solutions, such as upper catchment measures.

The Environment Agency’s FCERM Strategy encourages greater use of nature-based solutions that take a catchment led approach to improve resilience to both floods and droughts.

The recently completed £15m national pilot programme of Natural Flood Management work has demonstrated the growing impact that these types of interventions can have, not only on managing flood risks but also helping to restore nature and reduce carbon emissions.