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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many environmental permits were issued by the Environment Agency for the purposes of carrying out work (a) in and (b) by (i) a main river, (ii) flood defence structures, (iii) sea defence and (iv) flood plains in each year since 2015.

The Environment Agency does not differentiate permits by the breakdown requested but keeps a record of all permits issued. The following number of flood risk activity permits have been issued per year since 2016.

In 2015 the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations did not include permits for activities taking place in or near main rivers, flood defences or within the flood plain. This was under the Water Resources Act 1991 and Regional Byelaws and issued as consents.