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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the risk of river bank failure in cases of heavy rainfall.

The Environment Agency (EA) maintains a wide range of flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) assets, which reduce the risk of flooding to people and property. These assets include embankments, pumping stations and flood gates.

The EA inspects and reports on the condition of flood risk management assets in England. This includes our own and third-party assets that work together to protect people and property. Where assets are below required condition then the EA assesses their structural integrity and if there is concern, they make plans to repair those assets. Occasionally the EA is required to exercise their emergency powers to undertake urgent work to repair failing or failed assets that pose a risk to serious flooding.

This year, approximately £200 million is allocated for asset management, with an additional £72 million repurposed to support the maintenance and repair of our most critical assets. Together, these measures significantly enhance our ability to manage flood risks and ensure public safety.