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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Floods Resilience Taskforce is taking to prepare for potential floods in winter 2025-26.

The Flood Resilience Taskforce, which brings together national and local government, emergency services and other partners, met on 8 September and reviewed preparedness for flooding this autumn and winter.

The Taskforce discussed the risk of flooding and the improvements made by Taskforce members to prepare, respond and recover, including improvements to national flood modelling and forecasting, communication of flood warnings, exercising of the National Flood Response Centre and improving the awareness of schemes to support those affected by flooding.

The Taskforce concluded that at local and national levels, preparedness for flooding has overall increased compared to September 2024. Taskforce members will continue to work throughout the autumn and winter to protect communities.