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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings he has held with regional stakeholders in South Yorkshire on (a) the winter 2019 floods and (b) flood defence support in the last 12 months.

The Government recognises the impact that flooding has had on individuals, local communities and businesses and sympathises with all those affected. Following the winter 2019-20 flooding, the Secretary of State, myself and the department have been actively engaging with regional stakeholders.

As Minister for floods I engaged in a Westminster Hall debate focused on the flooding in South Yorkshire over the winter. This was attended by the hon Members for Barnsley East, Kingston upon Hull North, Rother Valley, Newport West, and the Rt Hon Member for Doncaster North. I have also met with the hon Member for Don Valley to discuss the impact of the winter floods and Sheffield City region's planned investment programme.

A number of hon Members from South Yorkshire have also written to Defra since November 2019. These include the hon Members for Barnsley Central, Don Valley, Rother Valley, and the Rt Hon Members for Doncaster North and Wentworth and Dearne.

Recently South Yorkshire, Sheffield, Upper Don Valley and the Upper Don Catchment NFM programme schemes received an allocation of the £170 million announced on 14 July, £15.4 million for the Sheffield Upper Don scheme and £600,000 for the NFM programme. Following this announcement, I met with the Member for Penistone & Stocksbridge to discuss flooding.

I have been in contact with hon Members from the South Yorkshire area on the issue of a round table and I expect to be able to confirm a date very soon.

Additionally, my officials have been engaging actively with eligible local authorities on the Property Flood Resilience Fund to provide clarity on the guidance for these schemes and to provide clarity on delivery questions.