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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring the ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards, in the context of flood protection.

The Government recognises the important work Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) undertake to support farmers and rural communities. IDBs are local independent public bodies and they have permissive powers for managing water levels and reducing flood risk in rural and urban communities. In doing so they work closely with other risk management authorities (RMAs), including highways authorities.

IDBs use a wide range of measures and assets to deliver their work, ensuring it is the right measure in the right place. IDBs can adopt assets from RMAs and other organisations. This will be on a case-by-case basis, and where they do the IDB will consider the benefits and costs, especially for the farmers and local authorities who fund them.