§ Lord Hardy of Wathasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will report on the outcome of the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review. [HL2871]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)We are pleased to announce that the reportFlood and Coastal Defence Funding Review—Report to Ministers by the Review Steering Group has been published today along with a consultation document seeking views on the steering group's recommendations and conclusions and how these might be taken forward. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House.
The steering group's report assessed a number of options for change, including additional sources of funding and a broad based regional model to provide a single funding stream. Suggestions for short-term changes include giving the Environment Agency responsibility for all watercourses that present a significant flood risk and on combining and consolidating capital grant and revenue support grant to the agency, possibly in the form of central grant allocations.
Elsewhere, the report recommends continued reliance on the existing flood management strategic framework to monitor achievement of the Government's policies and priorities.
The Government have agreed to consult on the recommendations in the report. This provides a unique opportunity to consider provision of the flood and coastal defence service from first principles and I look forward to receiving the views of interested parties. We will keep Parliament informed of developments.