Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made in (a) increasing the number and (b) improving the quality of sustainable drainage systems installed.

The Government strengthened planning policy in April 2015 to make sure that sustainable drainage systems are provided in all new major developments, unless the developer can demonstrate that they are clearly inappropriate. This is in addition to existing requirements that sustainable drainage systems should be given priority in new developments in flood risk areas. Planning policy supported by guidance contains the necessary levers for local planning authorities to secure high quality sustainable drainage systems.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is leading a review to assess the effectiveness of planning policy in delivering sustainable drainage systems in new developments in England. DCLG will publish the results of the review in due course.