Written question asked by Lord Patten (Conservative) on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 23 December 2025. It was answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Flood Control: York

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of flood defences in York.

Answer: Since 2016, the Environment Agency has invested £125 million of government funding on a major upgrade of the engineered defences through York, including walls and flood gates and improvements to the Foss Barrier and pumping station. The defences are designed to protect properties from a flood with a 1% probability of happening in any given year, allowing for the effects of climate change until 2039. Further climate change predictions indicate upper catchment flood alleviation measures will be required to offer York the same standard of protection past 2039.

Secondary information