Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 9 February (HL Deb col 4GC), whether water pollution, flooding and heatwaves are environmental factors under section 45 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026.

The Government has intentionally defined “environmental factors” broadly under section 45 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026.

Rather than setting out an exhaustive list, the act provides flexibility for strategic authorities, combined authorities, combined county authorities, and mayors to consider the full range of environmental factors that may be relevant when exercising their functions.

This can include matters such as water pollution, flooding, and heatwaves, where these are relevant to their functions and responsibilities.