{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2015-03-12&AnsweringBody.=Department+for+Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&hansardHeading=Flood+Control", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2015-03-12&AnsweringBody.=Department+for+Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&hansardHeading=Flood+Control", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2015-03-12&AnsweringBody.=Department+for+Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&_metadata=all&hansardHeading=Flood+Control", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2015-03-12&_page=0&AnsweringBody.=Department+for+Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&hansardHeading=Flood+Control", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2015-03-12&AnsweringBody.=Department+for+Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&hansardHeading=Flood+Control", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2015-03-12&AnsweringBody.=Department+for+Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&hansardHeading=Flood+Control", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1727087", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1727087/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Defra has established a ministerially led cross-Governmental Flood Resilience Taskforce to ensure that communities are better protected from flooding, with the first meeting taking place in September. The Flood Resilience Taskforce will ensure that preparedness and resilience to flooding is reviewed regularly before the start of the main flood season; and that it is continuously improved to ensure optimum protection to people, homes and businesses.<\/p>
<\/p>
In advance of the winter, MPs will receive advice on how to access the most up to date flood information from the EA and how to raise awareness of flooding with constituents.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Emma Hardy"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-16T09:31:55.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve (a) resilience and (b) preparation for flooding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/5050", "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxbourne"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lewis Cocking"} ], "uin" : "4079"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1724567", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1724567/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises the need for well-connected surface waters, so that water can be moved to where it is most needed. Water companies, including Anglian Water, have focussed their resilience improvements on water grids and transfers, a number of which have been built in recent years. The resilience of our water supply has been strengthened by the action taken by Government, regulators and the private sector, including water companies investing £469 million to investigate additional resources like new reservoir projects and inter-regional water transfers.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Emma Hardy"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-20T11:01:40.037Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) Anglian Water and (b) all water companies in England in (i) identifying and (ii) removing barriers that prevent the connectivity of surface waters.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/5141", "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Mayer"} ], "uin" : "2621"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715385", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1715385/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ministers and Defra officials regularly meet with the Environment Agency to discuss flood and water management issues, including dredging.<\/p>
The Environment Agency assesses each situation individually and dredge when it is the right solution, and it provides long-term value for money. Understanding where it will, and will not, reduce flood risk is key.<\/p>
Where there is evidence that dredging will reduce flood risk to local properties or agricultural land without increasing flooding downstream, it meets government criteria, and is cost effective, the Environment Agency will do it.<\/p>
Dredging can contribute to reducing flooding in some locations, but in others dredging would be an extremely inefficient and ineffective way to manage flood risk, as the natural processes in many rivers can cause the silt to return and accumulate in the same places very quickly. We also know from historic records and modelling that dredging in some locations can increase erosion and flood risk for communities downstream.<\/p>
In extreme flooding events, the relatively small increases in width and depth achievable by dredging the channel do not provide anywhere near enough capacity to contain the excess flood water, since the channel may already be full of water, and therefore does not prevent flooding.<\/p>
Any structures encroaching in the river such as bridges, weirs and natural features need to be considered, as these could be damaged or may be pinch points with hard foundations which can make dredging ineffective. Deepening can in some instances also cause destabilising of natural riverbanks leading to soil erosion and damage to riverside flood defences.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4861", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robbie Moore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robbie Moore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-07T13:52:10.197Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Environment Agency on trends in the level of (a) dredging and (b) desilting as a means of flood prevention.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4756", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Brendan Clarke-Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bassetlaw"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Brendan Clarke-Smith"} ], "uin" : "24564"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1713588", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1713588/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In considering the National Infrastructure Commission\u2019s (NIC) study into surface water flooding, Defra officials met with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport\u2019s (ADEPT) Flood and Water Group on 30 January 2023.<\/p>
<\/p>
Following the meeting ADEPT officials shared a short note setting out their views on the NIC\u2019s nine recommendations which the government considered in developing the response to the study.<\/p>
<\/p>
It is not the Department\u2019s policy to publish exchanges between officials.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4861", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robbie Moore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robbie Moore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-30T10:23:56.587Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2024 to Question 22631 on Flood Control, when the meeting with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport\u2019s Flood and Water Group took place, and if he will publish the letter that Group wrote to his Department after the meeting.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emma Hardy"} ], "uin" : "23553"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1702158", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1702158/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In considering the National Infrastructure Commission\u2019s (NIC) study into surface water flooding, Defra officials met with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport\u2019s (ADEPT) Flood and Water Group. This group is predominately made up of lead local flood authorities and the Local Government Association. At the meeting there was a discussion about the NIC\u2019s study and nine recommendations, and the different views on them. The ADEPT Flood and Water Group also wrote to Defra after the meeting. Defra took these views into account when producing the Government response and accepting or partially accepting all of the NIC\u2019s recommendations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4861", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robbie Moore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robbie Moore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-24T09:39:06.47Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence his Department has had with (i) Lead Local Flood Authorities and (ii) the Local Government Association as part of his response of 13 March 2024 to the National Infrastructure Council report Reducing the risk of surface water flooding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emma Hardy"} ], "uin" : "22631"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1701037", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1701037/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "