Thank you, Chair. I feel honoured to be the only applicant here today. As we build new homes in many of our constituencies, we are searching for the most suitable new sites to develop. These sites are getting more complicated, as the prime and most sustainable sites have already been developed. One of the main difficulties is water. We have seen in recent weeks the devastating effects of floods in Wales, and the increasing frequency of heavier rain across the country must be managed in our housing development sites. Planning rules state that water run-off from developed sites must be equal to or less than that of the undeveloped area. Clearly, hard surfaces such as paths and roofs speed up the rainfall run-off, hence the need for SuDS—sustainable drainage systems—often made of attenuation ponds and other constructions designed and built by developers to manage the water on the site and going off the site. However, there is no defined responsibility for maintaining these structures. They are often handed to grounds management companies that have no idea of their purpose and function, let alone expertise in flood prevention and water run-off management. The grass is cut, but the SuDS gradually decay, becoming blocked, bunged up or even filled in. When I speak to my constituents on new-build sites, this is frequently brought up and is a major worry for them. In 2010, the Flood and Water Management Act put forward primary legislation for a solution. Its schedule 3 establishes a system where local authorities become the approving and adopting body for these drainage systems, but schedule 3 has never been enlivened. This debate will explore the merits of adopting SuDS and push the Government for action to save your constituents and mine from flooding due to SuDS that have been left to decay. I used to sit on the South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, which allocated funds to the Environment Agency and flood prevention schemes, and it came up time and again that no one is looking after these critical elements of our urban drainage systems. In fact, the Environment Agency, Devon county council—the adopting authority in my case—as well as South West Water, developers and the district planners are all in favour of having schedule 3 adopted. They are trying to say, “Why is this not in place? Why is it not happening?” I would like to hold the debate to show the interest from Members, to try to encourage the Government to do something about it, and to put forward the statutory instrument that is needed to enable schedule 3 to take effect and save our constituents across the country from flooding.

It is interesting, because I think it is a DEFRA Act, but it impacts MHCLG. I think that DEFRA is probably the responsible Department, because it is flood and water management, which would be DEFRA by title.

I will take a slot as soon as I possibly can, wherever that slot may be, and I will be grateful for whatever I can receive.

Fantastic. Thank you for your time and consideration.