Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed attachment file name title question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

647704

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies on flooding and land use of the Green Alliance Policy Insight of November 2016, entitled Smarter flood risk management in England.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	55376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2016 answer text <p>The Government notes the Green Alliance report’s focus on flood prevention, including the use of natural measures and the whole catchment approach.</p><p> </p><p>A combination of measures are needed to manage flood risk, including upstream activities to store or slow flood waters. The current Countryside Stewardship Scheme includes land management measures that help to prevent flooding. Our exit from the EU provides an opportunity to consider how best future agriculture and environmental policy can contribute to flood risk management. The Government recently announced £15m specifically for natural flood management schemes across England. This builds on demonstration projects at Pickering in North Yorkshire, Holnicote in Somerset and Upper Derwent, Derbyshire.</p><p> </p><p>They demonstrated that natural measures can be effective in helping to manage flood risk at a catchment scale, slowing the flow of water and reducing local impacts when carefully incorporated into a wider suite of catchment measures, but were unlikely to offer an alternative to conventional defences in areas of greatest risk.</p><p> </p><p>However, we refute the assertion that twice as much is spent on dealing with the after-effects of a flood than is spent on hard flood defences. In 2014/15, the year the report is referring to with respect to hard defences, of the £802.6m spent on flood risk management, £145m was for flood response and repair costs and £657.6m for routine flood risk management measures.</p><p> </p><p>Moreover, in our current 6-year capital programme, we are investing £2.5 billion over six years on flood defences (up until 2021). This is a real terms increase in capital investment. We are exceeding our manifesto commitment by building 1,500 new flood defence schemes that will better protect 300,000 more homes.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 05/12/2016 11:38:29 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

647950

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to attract more private funding into the construction of flood defences; and whether this will include providing a return to investors on their investment in such projects and allowing corporate investors more control over the investments made.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3647
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2016 answer text <p>Government changed its funding approach in 2011 to provide space for and encourage private sector and other contributions to Government supported flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes. Private sector contributors benefit from the reduction in flood risk which their investment buys. The return on these investments vary from scheme to scheme depending on the level of protection achieved by the project but private sector contributors can choose how much they invest.</p><p> </p><p>Legislation was introduced in the Finance Bill 2015 to enable companies and unincorporated businesses to receive a tax relief on their contributions to partnership funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes. This is intended to encourage private sector contributions to projects across the country through partnership funding, allowing more schemes to go ahead.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/12/2016 14:40:28 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

647951

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) as a viable approach to the funding of flood defence projects; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which this approach would ensure an appropriate sharing of costs and risks between the contractor and the DBFO client.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3648
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2016 answer text <p>Most flood defence improvement schemes managed by the Environment Agency and other risk management authorities are delivered through private sector suppliers. When considering how best to procure the improvement and maintenance of defences the Environment Agency and other risk management authorities consider a wide range of options including design, build and operate. Private financing may form part of this where the scheme is not fully funded by government.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/12/2016 14:38:52 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

647952

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the prioritisation of projects designed to address drainage, water level and flood risks; and what is their estimate of the costs of funding a programme to address these risks.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3649
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2016 answer text <p>Flood defence projects are prioritised based on the economic benefits they could achieve in terms of the flood damages they would avoid and the number of homes that would be better protected from flooding or coastal erosion.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency's Long Term Investment Scenarios report represents the best currently available projections of potential long term costs to manage flood and coastal risk under a range of scenarios reflecting future uncertainties.</p><p> </p><p>The latest report confirms that current Government investment plans to 2020, together with forecast local contributions, are in line with the level the Environment Agency’s assessment indicates is necessary to reduce overall flood risk.</p><p> </p><p>The report it available on the GOV.UK website.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/12/2016 14:38:23 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

647953

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to planning public investments for flood protection over a 25 year timeframe in order to align public investment planning more closely with corporate investment planning and to attract more private sector partnership funding.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3650
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2016 answer text <p>The Environment Agency's Long Term Investment Scenarios report models investment options 50 years into the future. This analysis is used by Government when considering the case for future investment in flood risk management, for example at spending reviews.</p><p> </p><p>At the last spending review we confirmed a record level, six-year capital commitment up to 2021. This has allowed the Environment Agency and other risk management authorities to plan and leverage further contributions, including funding from the private sector.</p><p> </p><p>Building on the findings of the National Flood Resilience Review, Defra will now work with the Environment Agency, HM Treasury and the National Infrastructure Commission to consider long term investment needs and funding options after 2021.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/12/2016 14:37:46 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

647954

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of what is a fair form of contract between private and public sectors in flood defence funding.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3651
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2016 answer text <p>The Environment Agency has published guidance[1] that describes the principles that Risk Management Authorities should follow when implementing the Government’s partnership funding policy[2] and promoting flood and coastal risk management projects. This includes securing contributions from beneficiaries for flood risk management schemes.</p><p> </p><p>All contributions are voluntary. Most private contributions are associated with the direct reduction of risk to the business location alone. However in some situations, where businesses are within an at-risk community, their contributions may also be used to protect the adjacent community. Where this is the case, the Government offers tax incentives in support.</p><p> </p><p>The terms on which contributions are secured is a matter for each Risk Management Authority. The guidance describes the key elements these terms should consider. The Environment Agency has standard terms template agreements for use when securing contributions from the public and private sectors towards its projects.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] <a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140320133552/http:/cdn.environment-agency.gov.uk/lit_6696_f143f7.pdf" target="_blank">Principles for implementing flood and coastal resilience funding partnerships</a> (Environment Agency 2012)</p><p>[2] ‘Flood and coastal resilience partnership funding’ <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-and-coastal-resilience-partnership-funding-an-introductory-guide" target="_blank">introductory guide</a> (Defra 2011)</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble attachment 1 file name flood-coastal-resilience-intro-guide.pdf title Principles for implementing 2 file name Flooding and Coastal resilience funding.pdf title introductory guide question first answered 13/12/2016 17:33:02 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

647955

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the level of investment required in resources and skills to undertake necessary flood prevention measures.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3652
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2016 answer text <p>The Environment Agency is delivering a £2.5 billion 6 year investment programme to improve flood and coastal erosion risk management, including asset maintenance. The Environment Agency is recruiting an additional 200 skilled staff having reviewed the resources required to deliver the programme.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/12/2016 14:33:43 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

647160

registered interest
date	28/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of a changing climate on flood defences across the UK; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	55096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2016 answer text <p>The Environment Agency has made an assessment of the likely increased flows in river and rise in sea level and the impact these changes could have on defence standards. Guidance has been provided to ensure that when building or improving defences the risk management authorities take account of climate change and make allowances in the design of defence structures.</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adapting-to-climate-change-for-risk-management-authorities" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/adapting-to-climate-change-for-risk-management-authorities</a>. This guidance was updated in 2016 and will be kept under review as new information or projections of climate change emerge.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency has taken account of the impacts of climate change in developing its long term investment scenarios, including the increased costs of building and maintaining defences.</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-and-coastal-risk-management-in-england-long-term-investment" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-and-coastal-risk-management-in-england-long-term-investment</a></p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency monitors water and sea levels, tide and wave heights to ensure that these are consistent with expected changes due to climate change. This allows for the assessment of whether defence structures continue to provide their designed service level.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/12/2016 12:57:20 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

644309

registered interest
date	25/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her oral contribution of 24 November 2016, Official Report, column 1004, whether that investment is in addition to the investment in flood defences announced in the March 2016 Budget.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Mary Creagh
uin	54981
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2016 answer text <p>The £15m announced by the Secretary of State to be spent on Natural Flood Management is included within the £700m for flood defence and resilience funding announced in the March Budget.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/12/2016 12:54:22 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1579 label Biography information for Mary Creagh

643877

registered interest
date	24/11/2016
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many of the flood defence and prevention schemes that were announced in Budget 2016 construction has begun.
tabling member constituency	Workington
tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
uin	54898
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2016 answer text <p>The additional funding announced in the Budget 2016 has enabled the Environment Agency to progress 16 flood risk management schemes. All of these were in the early stages of development requiring funding certainty to progress further. The additional funding has ensured no further contributions are required and enabled the design to commence.</p><p> </p><p>Of these, one scheme, the Calder Valley Flood Risk Reduction Scheme has already started construction. The remaining schemes are in the design stages and the Environment Agency expect construction to start shortly.</p><p> </p><p>The schemes progressed by the additional funding will better protect at least 7,500 homes from flooding when completed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 02/12/2016 12:33:08 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock