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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses, published on 4 February 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of new flood prevention infrastructure on (a) wildlife and (b) river ecosystems.

The Environment Agency ensures that all its flood projects assess their impact on the environment and biodiversity, with support from the National Environmental Assessment Service. The impact of any new scheme will be undertaken in due course as part of each schemes’ assurance process.

Defra has established protocols to assess the potential environmental impacts of flood prevention infrastructure on wildlife and river ecosystems. These assessments are carried out through Strategic Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments, which are integral to the planning and implementation of flood risk management projects.