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Written question asked by Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Monday, 7 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Drownings

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to undertake a coordinated response to prevent avoidable deaths due to drowning.

Answer

Responsibility for water safety and drowning prevention is shared across government, local authorities, emergency services, regulators, education partners and asset owners.

I convened a roundtable in July with ministers and representatives from across government to reinforce the importance of keeping people safe around water. I was clear that all organisations must keep working to reduce risks.

The Government recognises the importance of working collectively to reduce drowning. It supports collaborative efforts through organisations such as the National Water Safety Forum, which brings together partners to reduce water-related deaths and associated harms.

The Government will carefully consider the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2026–2036 to identify that we are collectively doing all we reasonably can to support this vital work.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
19248
Session
2026-27
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Water Safety Drownings
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk