Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much flood risk management funding has been allocated to Environment Agency projects affecting the Aldingbourne Rife catchment in each of the last five financial years; and what funding is planned for each of 2026–27 and 2027–28.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency has invested over £735,000 in the past two years on routine vegetation clearance and channel maintenance across the Aldingbourne Rife and connected watercourses. Each May the Environment Agency inspects the channel, followed by machine and hand‑cutting works through summer and autumn as needed. Flood risk assets, including the Bognor Regis sea wall, ramps and flood gates and Felpham Pumping station, are routinely checked throughout the year and debris screens are cleared whenever needed, 24/7, especially before and during rainfall events.
This pattern of routine maintenance and operational checks will continue in 2026-2027.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what watercourse maintenance and channel clearance works the Environment Agency carried out on the Aldingbourne Rife in the last 24 months; and what further works are planned in 2026–27.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency has invested over £735,000 in the past two years on routine vegetation clearance and channel maintenance across the Aldingbourne Rife and connected watercourses. Each May the Environment Agency inspects the channel, followed by machine and hand‑cutting works through summer and autumn as needed. Flood risk assets, including the Bognor Regis sea wall, ramps and flood gates and Felpham Pumping station, are routinely checked throughout the year and debris screens are cleared whenever needed, 24/7, especially before and during rainfall events.
This pattern of routine maintenance and operational checks will continue in 2026-2027.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance the Environment Agency provides to local planning authorities on assessing the cumulative impact of development on surface water flood risk and drainage capacity in low-lying coastal areas.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) are the lead authority for managing surface water flooding. LLFAs are statutory consultees on major development, providing expert advice to local planning authorities. The Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview for all sources of flooding.
In December 2024 the EA published its updated National Assessment of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk in England. This included an updated assessment of surface water flood risk.
The EA also supports consideration of surface water flood risk in decision making for new developments through the Flood Map for Planning and Check your long term flood risk services.
The EA is supporting implementation of the Government’s new flood and coastal erosion risk management funding policy, which made several improvements to aid investment in managing surface water flooding. The EA has produced guidance explaining how the new policy will work in practice.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the condition and remaining operational lifespan of pumping, outfall, and other flood risk management assets for which it is responsible in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency; and what plans are in place to refurbish or replace those assets where required.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the last 5 years, the Environment Agency has inspected all the flood risk assets it operates and maintains across the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton area. Each year the Environment Agency delivers an asset reconditioning programme whereby assets rated poor or worse are prioritised for repair or replacement when funding is available. Priority is given to assets that protect the most properties, and assessments are made on decommissioning assets where they no longer provide a flood risk benefit.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the enforcement powers available to the Environment Agency to ensure effective oversight of the maintenance of privately owned watercourses in high flood risk areas; and what steps she is taking to review those powers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has examined the statutory powers and responsibilities for mapping, monitoring, inspecting and maintaining all flood and coastal erosion risk assets, including those owned by third parties. This review which also considered enforcement powers, including under the Water Resources Act 1991, will be published soon.
We expect all asset owners, risk management authorities, public and community bodies, private organisations and riparian owners to invest in maintenance and make timely repairs. The Environment Agency has updated its guidance on riparian owners Owning a watercourse.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many notifiable reconfigurations have been notified to his Department under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 since 31 January 2024; and how many of those related to the permanent closure, relocation or withdrawal of services from a community hospital site.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has been notified of nine reconfigurations under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 since 31 January 2024, of which one related to community hospital’s provision of beds.
The Department has received a total of 70 call-in requests, relating to 21 individual NHS service reconfigurations, under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 since 31 January 2024. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not used the call-in power.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many requests to call in a reconfiguration of NHS services his Department has received under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 since 31 January 2024; and in how many cases he has exercised the call-in power.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has been notified of nine reconfigurations under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 since 31 January 2024, of which one related to community hospital’s provision of beds.
The Department has received a total of 70 call-in requests, relating to 21 individual NHS service reconfigurations, under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 since 31 January 2024. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not used the call-in power.