Written question asked by James Naish (Labour) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Friday, 4 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Flood Control

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a national policy framework for the long-term maintenance of Natural Flood Management schemes delivered by local authorities.

Answer: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that natural flood management (NFM) measures remain effective over the long term. Projects funded through the Government’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management investment programme are expected to have appropriate maintenance plans and funding arrangements in place. The Government also expects all risk management authorities and other asset owners to invest in ongoing maintenance and repairs where necessary.

Secondary information