Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Flood resilience in England

Status: Open Opened: 10 Dec 2024 24 recommendations 15 conclusions 1 report

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on flood resilience in England, focusing on how flood resilience can be strengthened in response to increasing risks from extreme weather, rising sea levels, and evolving flood hazards. Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find out how to submit written … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report – Flood resilience in England HC 550 13 Oct 2025 39 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
23 Recommendation 4th Report – Flood resilience in England Accepted in Part

Prioritise funding for flood-risk communities and design framework for fairer, inclusive outcomes.

As the Government prepares to implement the new investment framework from April 2026, it must prioritise funding for communities most at risk from flooding. A simpler system must also be a fairer one, capable of supporting those facing the greatest hardships and repeated flood events. The framework should be designed … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government outlines that its new rules for investment will give equal weighting to all types of benefit and value co-benefits, committing to invest a minimum of 20% and 40% of funds in the 20% and 40% most deprived communities respectively, over the next three …
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39 Recommendation 4th Report – Flood resilience in England Accepted in Part

Consult on strengthening insurance in flood resilience and pilot Flood Performance Certificates by 2025.

By the end of 2025, the Government should consult with insurers and stakeholders on strengthening the role of insurance in flood resilience. This should include promoting and simplifying access to the Build Back Better scheme. The Government should support the development and piloting of Flood Performance Certificates (FPCs) as a … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government supports the piloting of Flood Performance Certificates by Flood Re and has encouraged the insurance industry to promote the Build Back Better scheme through roundtables and the FloodReady report. Industry bodies have committed to actions including developing FPC prototypes and raising customer understanding …
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Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
9 Jul 2025 Dr Sebastian Catovsky · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Hardy MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Philip Duffy · Environment Agency View ↗
11 Jun 2025 Emma Brown · Yorkshire Water, Emma Howard Boyd CBE · Public First, Jonathan Moxon · Leeds City Council, Mark Shepherd · The Association of British Insurers (ABI), Martin Lennon · Flood Re, Matthew Shelton · Network Rail, Megan Dunford · Zurich UK View ↗
19 May 2025 Graham French · Kingfisher Café, Ian Moodie · Association of Drainage Authorities, Julie Foley OBE · Environment Agency, Mary Long-Dhonau OBE · FloodMary.com, Siobhan Connor · Shrewsbury Flood Action Group, Tracey Garrett · National Flood Forum View ↗
12 Feb 2025 Celia Davis · Town and Country Planning Association, Hannah Burgess · Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), Rachel Hallos · National Farmers' Union View ↗
22 Jan 2025 Paul Sayers · Sayers and Partners, Professor Briony McDonagh · University of Hull, Professor Jim Hall · National Infrastructure Commission, Professor Larissa Naylor · University of Glasgow, Professor Richard Dawson · Climate Change Committee, The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE · Climate Change Committee View ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Celia Davis · Senior Projects and Policy Manager Town and Country Planning Association 1
Dr Sebastian Catovsky · Co-director, Floods and Water Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Emma Brown · Manager of Strategic Partnerships Yorkshire Water 1
Emma Hardy MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Emma Howard Boyd CBE · Chair, Steering Committee Public First 1
Graham French · Owner Kingfisher Café 1
Hannah Burgess · President Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) 1
Ian Moodie · Technical Manager Association of Drainage Authorities 1
Jonathan Moxon · Flood Risk Manager Leeds City Council 1
Julie Foley OBE · Director, Strategy and Adaptation Environment Agency 1
Mark Shepherd · Head of General Insurance Policy The Association of British Insurers (ABI) 1
Martin Lennon · Director of Policy Flood Re 1
Mary Long-Dhonau OBE · Property Flood Resilience Consultant FloodMary.com 1
Matthew Shelton · Route Engineer Network Rail 1
Megan Dunford · Head of Large and Complex Property Claims Zurich UK 1
Paul Sayers · Partner Sayers and Partners 1
Philip Duffy · Chief Executive Environment Agency 1
Professor Briony McDonagh · Professor of Environmental Humanities University of Hull 1
Professor Jim Hall · Commissioner National Infrastructure Commission 1
Professor Larissa Naylor · Professor of Geomorphology and Environmental Geog… University of Glasgow 1
Professor Richard Dawson · Member, Adaptation Committee Climate Change Committee 1
Rachel Hallos · Vice President National Farmers' Union 1
Siobhan Connor · Chair Shrewsbury Flood Action Group 1
The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE · Chair, Adaptation Committee Climate Change Committee 1
Tracey Garrett · Chief Executive National Flood Forum 1

Correspondence

7 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 Mar 2026 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government …
11 Mar 2026 To cttee Letter from Town and Country Planning Association relating to planning for flo…
5 Feb 2026 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State Environment, Food & Rural Affairs relating t…
15 Jan 2026 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relati…
4 Sep 2025 To cttee Letter from the Environment Agency Chief Executive relating to the Flood Resili…
9 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, res…
28 May 2025 From cttee Letter to Chancellor and Defra Secretary of State on flood budget, dated 28 May…