Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Environment Agency on it registering property owners along the tidal Thames as riparian owners where legal evidence of ownership does not exist.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency does not register landowners in London as riparian owners. A landowner’s responsibility for a tidal flood defence arises under the Metropolis Management (Thames River Prevention of Floods) Amendment Act 1879, which requires flood defences to be created and maintained to a defined height (relative to ordnance datum) in order to protect London from flooding and inundations caused by overflows from the River Thames.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency is permitted to register property owners along the tidal Thames as riparian owners where legal evidence of ownership does not exist.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency does not register landowners in London as riparian owners. A landowner’s responsibility for a tidal flood defence arises under the Metropolis Management (Thames River Prevention of Floods) Amendment Act 1879, which requires flood defences to be created and maintained to a defined height (relative to ordnance datum) in order to protect London from flooding and inundations caused by overflows from the River Thames.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the long-term costs of post-flood clean-up operations with the potential savings from investing in proactive flood prevention measures, such as enhanced maintenance, equipment procurement, and staffing for flood control infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency is delivering the Government’s flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) Investment Programme.
For every £1 spent in the Investment Programme improving protection from flooding and coastal erosion, around £8 of property damages is avoided.
Post flood clean-up costs are considered as part of the wider economic appraisal of flood investment projects.
A new 3-year £4.2 billion FCRM Investment Programme will start in April 2026, where new projects will align with the strategic objectives set out within the Government’s new funding rules announced in October 2025.
The new investment programme will also reduce deterioration and target repairs to flood defence assets, benefitting an additional 14,500 properties in England.
The Environment Agency updated its National Flood Risk Assessment in 2025. This provides the best available evidence to inform the development of flood mitigation strategies.
Asked by: Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of potential reductions in dredging activity on levels of flood risk, in the context of (a) the removal of the Landfill Tax exemption for Air Pollution Control residues and (b) the Government’s flood prevention programme.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important role that the energy from waste, dredging and biomass sectors play in supporting the Government’s circular economy objectives.
The Government announced at Budget last year that it would remove the Landfill Tax exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 because it is inconsistent with the government’s circular economy ambitions. The decision followed on from a consultation on reform to the tax, during which the Government engaged with stakeholders in a range of sectors. This will not prevent the use of stabilisers, but it will encourage businesses to limit their use to what is necessary.
The Government do not expect the change to have a significant impact on flood risk management as most material removed during routine waterway maintenance is reused locally and deposited adjacent to the channel, avoiding the need for disposal at landfill sites.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that sufficient funding for flood prevention is distributed evenly.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least a record £10.5 billion until 2036 – the largest flood programme in history which is projected to benefit more than 890,000 properties.
The Government recently announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy, making it quicker and easier to deliver the right flood defences in the right places by simplifying our funding rules.
To secure maximum value for every pound of taxpayer funding, projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios. Contributions from other sources will boost a project’s prioritisation. This approach uses government funding to unlock investment from public, private and charitable sources.
A minimum of 20% of FCERM investment will go to the 20% most deprived communities and a minimum of 40% to the 40% most deprived communities, ensuring deprived communities receive vital investment.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press notice entitled Reed: Government to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030, published on 19 July 2025, if she will set out specific measures being taken on (a) sustainable drainage systems and (b) nature-based solutions.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government will introduce root and branch reform to revolutionise the water industry, working in partnership with water companies, investors and communities to deliver a systematic approach to improving drainage and wastewater systems. This will have benefits for communities, the environment, flood prevention, economic growth, and urban development, ensuring policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature. This will include setting out the opportunity to make greater use of nature-based solutions where these represent good value for money and do more for the environment.
Ofwat published its final determinations from the 5-year price review (PR24) in December 2024. This set out a package of expenditure for the regulated water companies of £104 billion from 2025 to 2030, including over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England and £4.795 billion to reduce phosphorous pollution.
Regarding the 50% target, storm overflows are designed to act as relief valves when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy rain. The Government has required all storm overflows to have event duration monitors installed which provides information on sewage discharges. That information is published in near real time. The pledge is for a 50% cut in spills from storm overflows by the end of December 2029.
In addition, the pledge includes the EIP interim target to reduce Phosphorus loadings in treated wastewater by 50% by 31 January 2028, on a 2020 baseline. Phosphorus is a key cause of nutrient pollution in the environment, including contributing to algal blooms and eutrophication.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Reed: Government to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030, published 19 July 2025, if he will set out how the £104 billion investment is being funded.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government will introduce root and branch reform to revolutionise the water industry, working in partnership with water companies, investors and communities to deliver a systematic approach to improving drainage and wastewater systems. This will have benefits for communities, the environment, flood prevention, economic growth, and urban development, ensuring policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature. This will include setting out the opportunity to make greater use of nature-based solutions where these represent good value for money and do more for the environment.
Ofwat published its final determinations from the 5-year price review (PR24) in December 2024. This set out a package of expenditure for the regulated water companies of £104 billion from 2025 to 2030, including over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England and £4.795 billion to reduce phosphorous pollution.
Regarding the 50% target, storm overflows are designed to act as relief valves when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy rain. The Government has required all storm overflows to have event duration monitors installed which provides information on sewage discharges. That information is published in near real time. The pledge is for a 50% cut in spills from storm overflows by the end of December 2029.
In addition, the pledge includes the EIP interim target to reduce Phosphorus loadings in treated wastewater by 50% by 31 January 2028, on a 2020 baseline. Phosphorus is a key cause of nutrient pollution in the environment, including contributing to algal blooms and eutrophication.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Reed: Government to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030, published on 19 July 2025, whether he will publish the evidential basis for his claim that the measures outlined will result in a 50% reduction in spills from storm overflows.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government will introduce root and branch reform to revolutionise the water industry, working in partnership with water companies, investors and communities to deliver a systematic approach to improving drainage and wastewater systems. This will have benefits for communities, the environment, flood prevention, economic growth, and urban development, ensuring policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature. This will include setting out the opportunity to make greater use of nature-based solutions where these represent good value for money and do more for the environment.
Ofwat published its final determinations from the 5-year price review (PR24) in December 2024. This set out a package of expenditure for the regulated water companies of £104 billion from 2025 to 2030, including over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England and £4.795 billion to reduce phosphorous pollution.
Regarding the 50% target, storm overflows are designed to act as relief valves when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy rain. The Government has required all storm overflows to have event duration monitors installed which provides information on sewage discharges. That information is published in near real time. The pledge is for a 50% cut in spills from storm overflows by the end of December 2029.
In addition, the pledge includes the EIP interim target to reduce Phosphorus loadings in treated wastewater by 50% by 31 January 2028, on a 2020 baseline. Phosphorus is a key cause of nutrient pollution in the environment, including contributing to algal blooms and eutrophication.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 54102 on Schools: Flood Control, whether her Department has had discussions with Kimberley College in Stewartby on flood protections.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
To date no correspondence has been received from the college on this matter, therefore my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education can confirm the department’s Schools Water Strategy has not held discussions with Kimberley College on flood protections.
The department has invested in measures to reduce risk to flooding at over 600 schools to the end of 2024/25 and through the Schools Water Strategy, we continue to invest in flood prevention in schools at risk of flooding in line with our published Sustainability and Climate Change strategy.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to allocate additional funding for flood prevention in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is investing record levels in flood protection. As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, we are investing £4.2 billion over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29) to construct new flood schemes and maintain and repair existing defences across the country.
This is £1.4 billion on average each year – a 5% increase on the current average of £1.33 billion over 2024/25 and 2025/26.
The list of projects to receive Government funding will be consented on an annual basis through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation.