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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has in place to support rural communities affected by flooding where cost-benefit calculations make it more difficult to fund schemes as a result of the dispersed nature of properties.

The Government is investing a record £2.6 billion from 2015-2021 to better protect 300,000 homes in England from flooding, and £1 billion to maintain existing defences. This will also attract over £600 million in additional contributions through partnership funding. In addition to homes better protected, this investment will also protect 700,000 acres of agricultural land that will help avoid more than £1.5 billion worth of direct economic damages to agricultural land, benefiting rural communities. Of the £2.6 billion Defra funding, approximately £650 million will be allocated to local authorities for their defence improvement projects.

Government funding policy recognises where deprivation is highest through higher funding payments. This also can help benefit rural communities where there is economic disadvantage. We will continue to work with the Environment Agency and HM Treasury to consider future investment needs and Government’s role in supporting the resilience of communities.