Recommendation 1

HM Government Acknowledged

Forty-Fifth Report of Session 2019-21 The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Managing flood risk Introduction from the Committee The Agency estimates that 5.2 million properties in England are at risk of flooding. There are different types of flooding: river, coastal, surface water (when rainfall cannot drain away), sewer flooding and groundwater flooding (where the water table level rises above ground). Flood risks are managed in a number of ways ranging from early warning systems to building flood defences. The Department has the policy lead for flooding. The Agency is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department. It has a strategic overview role and an operational role to manage the risk of flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea. Other bodies are responsible for managing local flood risks. The Agency is on track to achieve its target to better protect 300,000 homes through its £2.6 billion capital investment programme (2015–16 to 2020–21)1. Government has increased future capital investment to £5.6 billion between 2021– 22 and 2026–27. Based on a report by the National Audit Office, the Committee took evidence, on Thursday 14 January 2021 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (the Department) and the Environment Agency (the Agency). The Committee published its report on 26 February 2021. This is the government’s response to the Committee’s report. Relevant reports • NAO report: Managing flood risk – Session 2019-21 (HC 962) • PAC report: Managing flood risk– Session 2019-21 (HC 931) Government response to the Committee