§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research has been commissioned by her Department on the likely impact of sea level rise on the land area of the United Kingdom; if a map of projected flooded areas has been produced; and if she will make a statement. [64792]
§ Mr. MorleyFlood Management is a devolved responsibility. The Department has a wide ranging programme of research related to climate change and its impacts. Recent specific research commissioned for flood management has included an assessment by HR 247W Wallingford Ltd. of Coastal Vulnerability in 2075. This considered the potential impact of sea level rise and related changes for typical coastal defence structures and generally confirmed that current allowances for sea level rise recommended by the Department are reasonable. These allowances are currently being further reviewed in the light of the Climate Impact Scenarios published by the Department earlier this year.
Climate change will increase the pressures on defences and increase the risk of flooding to defended areas, but will not significantly change the current maps of indicative coastal flood risk areas produced by the Environment Agency.