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

To ask Her Majesty's Government by what process local Catchment Partnerships will be able to apply to receive a portion of the £5.2 billion funding for flood and coastal defences announced in the Budget on 11 March.

Flood and coastal risk management investment takes place where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. Each scheme is carefully considered to target where it will benefit the most people and property.

The Environment Agency (EA) uses a consistent set of criteria to prioritise funding for schemes proposed by all Risk Management Authorities which ensures a fair distribution of funding based on agreed priorities, principles and needs.

The EA is unable to allocate Flood and Coastal Risk Management Grant-in-Aid to Catchment Partnerships as they are not a Risk Management Authority.

Instead, the EA works closely with Catchment Partnerships through the Government's £15 million Natural Flood Management (NFM) pilot programme (which will end in March 2021), alongside communities, land managers, and coastal groups around England. The EA will continue to work with Catchment Partnerships after the end of the NFM pilot programme on the use of nature-based solutions.

Although capital funding for flood and coastal risk management is only available to Risk Management Authorities, EA teams routinely work with Catchment Partnerships on projects with other funding sources which provide environmental benefits and help to manage water in catchments.

Regional flood and coastal committees (RFCCs) provide a link between flood risk management authorities and other relevant bodies, like local Catchment Partnerships, to develop mutual understanding of risks in their regions.

In addition to sharing best practice between partners, RFCCs have a key role advising on and approving the implementation of programmes of work for their areas, and supporting the development of funding for local priority projects and works through local levy.