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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that (a) river and (b) coastal communities are protected from floods this year.

The Government is investing a record £5.2 billion in the flood and coastal erosion risk management capital programme running from 2021 to 2027, which will provide better protection from all sources of flooding. At the end of March 2023, the Environment Agency (EA) estimated that approximately £1.5 billion of this funding has been invested with around 60,000 properties better protected through over 200 completed schemes.

In addition, the Government is investing £200 million between 2021 and 2027 in the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation programme to support more than 25 local areas to trial innovative approaches for improving resilience for their communities. This includes £36 million support for communities in areas at significant risk of coastal erosion to transition and adapt to a changing climate.

The EA works in partnership with the Met Office as part of the Flood Forecasting Centre to provide flood warning information direct to those who have registered to receive these, as well as a five-day flood forecast through their Check for flooding service.