Multi-agency Flood Plan Review Report

Tuesday 12th June 2018 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Michael Gove)]

On 3 November 2017 I announced that DEFRA and the Environment Agency would be undertaking a review of multi-agency flood plans produced by local resilience forums (LRFs) in England, as part of the Government’s ongoing work to address flood risk (written statement - HCWS221). The remit of the review was to look at the effectiveness and consistency of current flood plans, to identify good practice and provide advice on how it can be spread, to help make sure we have the best plans in place across the country. The review was led and overseen by Major General (retd) Tim Cross, as an independent external reviewer.

I am very pleased today to be publishing General Cross’s review. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to General Cross for conducting such careful, insightful analysis and so quickly. The review report includes 12 recommendations which General Cross developed in light of his discussions and evidence gathering with LRFs and specialists across the country and he has brought to the fore important issues that need to be addressed.

I will now consider the report’s recommendations in detail, in consultation with other Departments, and will publish a Government response later in the year.

I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

[HCWS758]