Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of rainfall levels in September 2024 on (a) Government spending and (b) the local economy in each of the 10 English counties that have had the highest levels of rainfall.

Economic stability is a priority for this government. The COBR Unit in the Cabinet Office operates a well-established arrangement for monitoring near-term civil contingency-type risks, including severe weather, for the purpose of ensuring the Government is prepared to respond as appropriate to the challenges they may bring.

This Government is committed to protecting communities across the country from the dangers of flooding. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedness ahead of and after the winter flood season, and the Secretary of State chaired its first meeting in September.