Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits to the effectiveness of highway maintenance of mapping underground water infrastructure.

Responsibility for the management and maintenance of local roads, including associated assets such as drainage, rests with local highway authorities. Local decision‑making allows authorities to reflect local conditions, risks and priorities when planning and delivering maintenance activities.

To support local highway authorities in the maintenance of their highway networks, the Government has confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years, which gives local highway authorities the flexibility to invest in data, maintenance and preventative interventions in line with local needs and best practice.