Thank you for contacting me about flooding in England.
My thoughts are with all those affected by flooding, and my thanks go to the emergency services and all those, including the Environment Agency teams, who work so hard and respond quickly to keep people safe.
Investment in flood defences has been spread across every region in England. The £2.6 billion six-year programme of work dedicated to improving flood and coastal defences has exceeded its original targets, with over 314,000 homes now better protected from flooding.
The Government’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Investment Plan sets out how a record £5.2 billion of investment over the next six years will be spent, including more than £860 million in 2021-22 on boosting the design and construction of more than 1,000 flooding alleviation schemes.
Further, I am aware that the Environment Agency is ready to take action wherever it is needed this winter, with over 250 mobile pumps and 5,000 trained staff across the country. The construction and repair of flood defences has also continued throughout the year, with preparations helping to protect communities from flooding. During the storms earlier this year, around 35,000 properties were protected by Environment Agency schemes.
Finally, the Environment Agency is encouraging people to take key steps to prepare themselves in the event of flood risk, including:
- Check your flood risk online: https://www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk
- Sign up for flood warnings: https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings
- Know what to do if flooding hits: https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/plan-ahead-for-flooding
I would strongly urge all of my constituents to check their flood risk online and keep up to date with updates from the Environment Agency when there is a flood risk.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.