Written question asked by Ben Coleman (Labour) on Monday, 9 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 11 February 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Friday, 13 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

River Thames: Owner Occupation

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Environment Agency on it registering property owners along the tidal Thames as riparian owners where legal evidence of ownership does not exist.

Answer: The Environment Agency does not register landowners in London as riparian owners. A landowner’s responsibility for a tidal flood defence arises under the Metropolis Management (Thames River Prevention of Floods) Amendment Act 1879, which requires flood defences to be created and maintained to a defined height (relative to ordnance datum) in order to protect London from flooding and inundations caused by overflows from the River Thames.

Secondary information