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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to discuss with the International Rescue Corps what support that organisation could offer during future floods.

Defra holds the Flood Rescue National Asset Register. This is a list of teams or assets that voluntarily join the register and maintain availability for national deployment during response to flooding. These assets include teams from the Fire and Rescue Service as well as the voluntary sector. Prior to joining the register, the capability of each team will have been assessed.

Details of how a team can join the National Register are laid out in the 2019 Flood Rescue Concept of Operations (FRCO) and my officials are available to discuss the joining requirements with the International Rescue Corps.