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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the six-year flood and coastal erosion investment programme on risk of loss of life from flooding.

Assessments of the impact of flood and coastal erosion defence investments on risk to life from flooding are made on an individual project basis. Defra has provided guidance on how this should be done based on factors, such as the vulnerability of the population; the depth and speed of onset of a flood; and the timeliness of flood warnings.