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Select committee inquiry

Winter Floods

Closed

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee · Opened 13 January 2014 · Closed 1 April 2015

4 recommendations · 15 conclusions
Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

What the inquiry looked at

“Severe storms and heavy rainfall continue to cause extensive flooding events across the UK, causing disruption and distress to individuals and communities and costing millions. The Committee published a Report on Managing Flood Risk in July 2013 and held an evidence session on the Winter Floods on 22 January 2014. The Committee was deeply concerned last July about cuts in maintenance funding for flood defences and watercourses, warning that communities could be left exposed to flooding threats. This short inquiry will focus on the implications of the winter floods and follow up on the maintenance issues and recommendations that the Committee raised last year. The Committee invites written evidence on the following issues: What lessons are we learning from the winter floods in relation to the approach to maintenance work? What changes to the approach should be made before next winter? How is funding allocated by the Government and the Environment Agency to maintenance work and how can this process be more transparent and effective? Is the responsibility for maintenance work currently allocated in the best way? How can this approach be improved? What maintenance role should IDBs, local authorities and landowners take? In what circumstances is dredging effective in reducing flood risk? When is dredging not effective? The deadline for receipt of written evidence is Thursday 20 March 2014.”

The committee's words, from the inquiry page on parliament.uk ↗.

What the government said

The government responded on 17 October 2014.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response.

The government welcomes the Committee's report and states that it agrees with the Committee on a number of areas, including the importance of maintenance and dredging where that is the most effective option, while setting out where it takes a different approach on funding.

  • On river maintenance deregulation, it will "consider carefully" lessons from the pilots and introduce a new, streamlined consenting system "by the end of 2015". It plans to consult on proposals in winter 2014/15.
  • On dredging, it agrees with the Committee that effectiveness varies by river stretch, and says the Environment Agency will dredge as routine maintenance "where the evidence shows that this is sufficiently beneficial".
  • On maintenance funding, it says revenue funding for Environment Agency asset maintenance has been increased by £35 million in 2014/15 and 2015/16, and that decisions beyond 2015/16 will be made at the next spending review. It states that Defra "does not make a specific allocation for dredging, conveyance, or any other activity".
  • On the Environment Agency's staffing, it says the additional £270m "will mean there is no reduction in the Environment Agency's flood and coastal risk management job numbers".

Read the government's response ↗ Read the report ↗ Report an error

How the inquiry ran

Each dot is a dated item listed on this page, from the inquiry's opening on 13 January 2014 to its close on 1 April 2015.

  1. Oral evidence 3 sessions
  2. Report 17 Jun 2014
  3. Government response 17 Oct 2014

What it recommended 4 recommendations · 15 conclusions

1We commend the widespread help provided to communities during the winter floods relief effort.
Concluded (the committee's words)
We commend the widespread help provided to communities during the winter floods relief effort. Repairing and replacing damaged flood defence assets following the winter storms is an immediate concern, but longer-term issues such as improving resilience to withstand future flooding events must not be overlooked.
2Defra must work with the Environment Agency to improve public awareness and understanding of the...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Defra must work with the Environment Agency to improve public awareness and understanding of the division of maintenance powers and duties, particularly in relation to watercourse maintenance, and to ensure that riparian owners discharge their watercourse maintenance duties.
3If an independent evaluation supports deregulation following completion of the river maintenance pilots, we urge...
Recommended (the committee's words)
If an independent evaluation supports deregulation following completion of the river maintenance pilots, we urge Defra and the Environment Agency to relax the regulatory position and implement the piloted system across the country as soon as is reasonably practicable.
4We support the introduction of public sector co-operation agreements between the Environment Agency and Internal...
Concluded (the committee's words)
We support the introduction of public sector co-operation agreements between the Environment Agency and Internal Drainage Boards to enable Internal Drainage Boards to undertake maintenance of watercourses in their districts with the requisite funding to support their activities.
5In its response to this report, we invite Defra and the Environment Agency to make...
Concluded (the committee's words)
In its response to this report, we invite Defra and the Environment Agency to make clear how often section 57 of the Land Drainage Act 1991 is utilised and to inform us of the aggregate amount of payments made by the Environment Agency to Internal Drainage Boards in 2013/14 under this legislative mechanism.
6Agriculture is a major industry and an important rural employer and we remain concerned that...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Agriculture is a major industry and an important rural employer and we remain concerned that the current method for allocating flood defence funding fails to recognise the importance and value of agricultural land.
7We recommend that Defra revisits its policy for flood and coastal risk management funding allocation...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We recommend that Defra revisits its policy for flood and coastal risk management funding allocation to recognise the economic and social value of agricultural land.
8The importance of land drainage should not be underestimated.
Concluded (the committee's words)
The importance of land drainage should not be underestimated. Local solutions and the history of local drainage in the relevant catchment area should be taken into account when deciding on measures to prevent flood risk. Where dredging is appropriate, the benefits need to be sustained through routine maintenance. Too Winter floods 2013-14 21 often work is neglected until a need is created for costly one-off capital investment.
9When dredging is beneficial as part of a portfolio of measures, Defra must give a...
Concluded (the committee's words)
When dredging is beneficial as part of a portfolio of measures, Defra must give a long-term commitment to fund regular maintenance in the relevant catchment area.
10Where responsibility for maintenance work is devolved to make the best use of local knowledge...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Where responsibility for maintenance work is devolved to make the best use of local knowledge and expertise, the allocation of Defra funding should reflect this to support the organisation undertaking the work.
11We welcome the additional funding that has been announced by the Government in 2014, but...
Concluded (the committee's words)
We welcome the additional funding that has been announced by the Government in 2014, but a large proportion of the funding that has been referred to as “additional” should have been more accurately described as “reallocated”.
12If funding is reallocated from within an existing budget, Defra must ensure that the process...
Concluded (the committee's words)
If funding is reallocated from within an existing budget, Defra must ensure that the process is completely transparent and provide a clear and detailed accompanying explanation which sets out what activities are receiving less funding as a result.
13We agree with the Secretary of State that the distinction between capital and revenue funding...
Concluded (the committee's words)
We agree with the Secretary of State that the distinction between capital and revenue funding “is a bit of a grey area in practical terms”. Depending on the local circumstances, the separate budgets can also create a perverse incentive to defer maintenance work until it creates a need for capital expenditure.
14We recommend that the Government assess the possibility of a transition to a total expenditure...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We recommend that the Government assess the possibility of a transition to a total expenditure classification for flood and coastal risk management funding to allow funding to be targeted according to local priorities, and publish that assessment.
15Funding for maintenance is at a bare minimum and needs to increase in line with...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Funding for maintenance is at a bare minimum and needs to increase in line with funding for new capital schemes and the increasing flood risk caused by more frequent extreme weather events.
16We recommend that Defra increase revenue funding to ensure that there is sufficient investment in...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We recommend that Defra increase revenue funding to ensure that there is sufficient investment in maintenance work, including conveyance and dredging. We urge Defra to immediately draw up fully funded plans to address the backlog of appropriate and necessary maintenance work and to accommodate the increased requirement caused by the growth in numbers of capital assets.
17Frontline services in flood and coastal risk management must not be reduced.
Concluded (the committee's words)
Frontline services in flood and coastal risk management must not be reduced. It is essential that funding cuts do not lead to unintended consequences where funding is redirected to one operational area to the detriment of another.
18In its response to this report, we ask Defra to reassure us that there will...
Concluded (the committee's words)
In its response to this report, we ask Defra to reassure us that there will be no cuts to frontline flood and coastal risk management jobs at the Environment Agency.
19While we recognise the need to balance competing demands on a finite budget, the avoidance...
Concluded (the committee's words)
While we recognise the need to balance competing demands on a finite budget, the avoidance of flood events that devastate communities should, as far as is possible, take priority over cost-cutting.

Evidence

Oral evidence sessions 3