In Flooding: Government Response to the Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2007–08, the Government points out that it has already pressed ahead with a number of actions dealing with flooding issues  raised in Sir Michael Pitt’s interim Review. The detailed Government response to the final Pitt Review will be published in the autumn.

The Government agrees with EFRA’s  rejection of the idea of a dedicated Flood Agency and confirms that the Environment Agency will have a strategic overview for all flood risk management. The recently announced draft Floods and Water Bill is intended to simplify and streamline “the complex inter-relationships of roles and responsibilities between the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, internal drainage boards and water companies”.

The Government’s  intention is for local authorities to take responsibility for surface water management under the Agency’s overview with lead responsibility for Surface Water Management Plans to improve co-ordination of activities between stakeholders involved in surface water drainage. However, authorities would also be able to contract out the work to other organisations, including the water companies.

However, the Government has also recognized that there is currently a shortage of trained engineers and technicians to meet flood risk management needs which it says must be addressed in the context of wider skills shortages.

The response also says that the Government intends to change the permitted development rights this autumn so that householders will need planning consent to pave over their front gardens unless they use permeable materials such as gravel or permeable paving

The Government has however rejected EFRA’s recommendation that it should look again at the £800 million allocation for 2010-11, which EFRA regards as inadequate, saying that it will provide a “substantial real terms increase in funding” and that “Investment in flood and coastal management must be sustainable and based on sound evidence.”