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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 20 November (HL Deb col 257), when they plan to introduce mandatory sustainable drains for new developments as required under Schedule 3 of the Water and Flood Management Act 2010.

This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) in new developments.

We must see SuDS in more developments; to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits and helping to improve water quality. It is also important to ensure that appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.

We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months.