The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has launched a formal inquiry into the implications of the current floods.

Announcing the new inquiry, which will also look at the approach to flood maintenance measure, the Committee said the severe storms and heavy rainfall are continuing to cause extensive flooding events across the UK, causing disruption and distress to individuals and communities and costing millions.

The new 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. Members of the Committee were deeply concerned last July about cuts in maintenance funding for flood defences and watercourses, warning that communities could be left exposed to flooding threats and published a Report on Managing Flood Risk in July 2013.

The Committee, which is chaired by Anne Mackintosh, also held an evidence session on the Winter Floods on 22 January 2014.

The MPs are now inviting 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 Committee said in its July Report that Defra must set out detailed evidence to demonstrate to HM Treasury that flood management capital funding must rise year on year by £20 million over the next 25 years to keep pace with increasing flood threat. This must be matched by a better balance between revenue and capital funding, whether from government or other sources.

“Deeply concerned” about decision to reduce funding

The MPs also said they were “deeply concerned” at the decision to reduce funding for maintenance of flood defences and watercourses which could leave communities exposed to the threat of flooding - despite having benefited from considerable capital investment in flood defences.

The Report said it was essential that adequate revenue funding was provided to enable the Environment Agency to conduct the necessary dredging and maintenance of watercourses so as to minimize flood risk to local communities.

Internal Drainage Boards which wish to undertake maintenance of local watercourses should also be supported in doing so, including by enabling them to retain the funding they currently provide to the Environment Agency for these services.

The deadline for receipt of written evidence is Thursday 20 March 2014.

Click here for more information.

Click here to download the Managing Flood Risk Report

Click here to download Additional Written Evidence for the Report

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