Flooding
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on flooding. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 18.07.2013 | The Bellwin Scheme |
| The Bellwin scheme provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities. Such assistance is usually provided in response to an emergency caused by the weather, but relief may also be available in other circumstances. This note describes how the scheme works and lists the occasions when Bellwin funding has been used. It also summarises the conclusions of Sir Michael Pitt on funding arrangements following severe flooding. Scotland and Wales have their own emergency financial assistance schemes and these are covered in the final section. | |
| 28.06.2013 | Flood insurance |
| This note outlines issues relating to flood insurance within the UK. | |
| 15.05.2013 | The Water Bill |
| The Government plans to introduce a Water Bill in this parliamentary session. It will probably focus on increasing competition in the water sector, and it will also aim to deliver other objectives including the provision of flood insurance, the better management of water supplies and more sustainable water abstraction. | |
| 18.04.2013 | Household flood insurance |
| There could be large flood insurance cost increases in coming years. New arrangements to ensure that affordable flood insurance remains widely available are currently being debated. The Government said that that it would make an announcement in spring 2012, but it is still in consultation with the insurance industry. | |
| 14.03.2013 | Flood defence spending in England |
| Average flood damage costs are currently £1.1 billion per year. Maintaining existing levels of flood defence would require spending on flood defences to increase to over £1 billion per year by 2035. National flood defence spending will reduce slightly from current levels over the next four years. While the overall number of properties at risk of flooding may not rise in the short term, there could be a significant increase in the longer term if current spending levels do not increase. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 28.01.2010 | Flood and Water Management Bill: Committee Stage Report |
| This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Flood and Water Management Bill. It complements Research Paper 09/91 prepared for the Commons Second Reading. | |
| 10.12.2009 | Flood and Water Management Bill. Bill 9 2009-10. |
| There has been growing pressure to introduce legislation to address the threat of flooding and water scarcity-both are predicted to increase with climate change. The Government published a draft Flood and Water Management Bill in April 2009, and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee undertook pre-legislative scrutiny of the document. The Committee welcomed a number of the proposals, but it was concerned that a lack of parliamentary time would undermine the introduction of a comprehensive Bill. The Government introduced a slimmed-down version of the Bill on 19 November 2009. Key features include measures to: require the Environment Agency to create a National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, which a number of organisations will have to follow; require lead local flood authorities to create Local Flood Risk Management Strategies; enable the Environment Agency and local authorities more easily to carry out flood risk management works; introduce a more risk-based approach to reservoir management; change the arrangements that would apply should a water company go into administration; enable water companies more easily to control non-essential uses of water, such as the use of hosepipes; enable water companies to offer concessions to community groups for surface water drainage charges; require the use of sustainable drainage systems in certain new developments; and, introduce a mandatory build standard for sewers. |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 12.07.2011 | Humanitarian response to the Pakistan floods.International |
| Government response. International Development Select Committee; Department for International Development report [Commons] | |
| 27.04.2011 | Humanitarian response to the Pakistan floods. |
| International Development Select Committee report [Commons] | |
| 30.03.2011 | Future flood and water management legislation. |
| Government response. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs report [Commons] | |
| 15.12.2010 | Future flood and water management legislation. |
| Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report [Commons] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 11.01.2011 | FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA |
| That this House sympathises with the Australian people who are suffering due to the severe flooding that is occurring in the state of Queensland; offers its support and condolences ... | |
| 14.07.2010 | FLOOD LEVY PROPOSALS |
| That this House notes the remarks of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 July 2010 indicating that the Coalition Government is preparing ... | |
| 30.11.2009 | CUMBRIA FLOOD RECOVERY FUND |
| That this House warmly welcomes the setting up of the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund by the Cumbria Community Foundation to support individuals, families and voluntary groups who have ... | |
| 24.11.2009 | CUMBRIA FLOODS |
| That this House wishes to thank the emergency services for all their hard work, dedication and commitment as they responded to the appalling floods in Cumbria last week; commends the ... | |
| 18.11.2009 | ENVIRONMENT AGENCY FLOOD RISK OBJECTIONS |
| That this House notes with concern that 27.3 per cent. of local planning authorities have, in the last four years, approved planning permission for development in spite of an Environment ... |
POST Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 05.12.2011 | Natural Flood Management |
| Natural flood management, defined here as the alteration, restoration or use of landscape features, is being promoted as a novel way of reducing flood risk. This POSTnote reviews the policy drivers of this approach, as well as the scientific basis, and implementation, of inland natural flood management strategies. | |
| 01.09.2010 | Sea level rise, September 2010 |
| This POSTnote summerizes the causes of sea level rise, and the uncertainties in and the consequences for UK climate change adaptation. | |
| 01.12.2008 | River basin management plans, December 2008 |
| This POSTnote outlines some of the challenges in implementing River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) in the UK to meet Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives. | |
| 01.07.2007 | Urban flooding, July 2007 |
| Urban flooding, July 2007. POSTnote 07/289. |
