Written questions by Spencer.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57090 on Flood Control and the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57092 on Flood Control: Finances, if he will set out how the £2.65 billion of funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management for 2024 to 2026 (a) has been and (b) will be spent.

We are investing a record £2.65 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The full list of over 700 schemes to benefit from fresh funding this year was announced on 31 March 2024 and can be found here. Information on spend can be found here, and information on plans can be found here.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department allocated to councils in England to carry out recommendations of flood investigation reports under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in (a) 2021/22, (b) 2022/23, (c) 2023/24 and (d) 2024/25.

Under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, lead local flood authorities must investigate flood incidents to the extent that they consider it necessary or appropriate, publish the results and notify relevant risk management authorities. These investigations help to improve knowledge and raise awareness of local flooding and inform local flood strategies and investment. The Local Government Settlement provides funding for local authorities and the services they deliver. This includes the management of local flood risk and flood investigations. Flood investigations could be used to identify and support new flood projects, which could secure funding from the government’s record £2.65 billion investment programme. Defra has worked with lead local flood authorities to develop non-statutory guidance for carrying out flood investigations. The guidance was published in April 2025 and provides a best practice framework for producing clear and consistent reports. It can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce inland flooding.

The Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview role for all sources of flooding and works closely with local authorities to reduce flood risk and provide advice and guidance to support communities to be better equipped and prepared for flooding. Between 2024 and 2026 the Government is investing £2.65 billion to build and maintain flood and coastal erosion risk management defences. Delivered schemes will better protect around 52,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion, with maintenance activities benefiting a further 14,500 properties. The EA also provides the Check for flooding service, giving information on flood alerts and warnings as well as a 5-day forecast. Its flood warning system directly alerts 1.6 million properties in England who are registered to receive flood warnings.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the risk of river bank failure in cases of heavy rainfall.

The Environment Agency (EA) maintains a wide range of flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) assets, which reduce the risk of flooding to people and property. These assets include embankments, pumping stations and flood gates. The EA inspects and reports on the condition of flood risk management assets in England. This includes our own and third-party assets that work together to protect people and property. Where assets are below required condition then the EA assesses their structural integrity and if there is concern, they make plans to repair those assets. Occasionally the EA is required to exercise their emergency powers to undertake urgent work to repair failing or failed assets that pose a risk to serious flooding. This year, approximately £200 million is allocated for asset management, with an additional £72 million repurposed to support the maintenance and repair of our most critical assets. Together, these measures significantly enhance our ability to manage flood risks and ensure public safety.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for Flood Risk Activity Permits were made in 2024.

Flood Risk Activity Permits are issued under the Environmental Permitting for work:on or near a main riveron or near a flood defence structurein a flood plainon or near a sea defence In 2024, the Environment Agency received 2191 permit applications for Flood Risk Activities. Approximately 3% of these met the threshold to qualify for a Standard Rules Permit and 97% required a Bespoke Permit.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many Flood Risk Activity Permits were issued in 2024.

Flood Risk Activity Permits are issued under the Environmental Permitting for work:on or near a main riveron or near a flood defence structurein a flood plainon or near a sea defence In 2024, the Environment Agency received 2191 permit applications for Flood Risk Activities. Approximately 3% of these met the threshold to qualify for a Standard Rules Permit and 97% required a Bespoke Permit.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department will allocate to councils in England to carry out recommendations of flood investigation reports under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in (a) 2025/26, (b) 2026/27 and (c) 2027/28.

Under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, lead local flood authorities must investigate flood incidents to the extent that they consider it necessary or appropriate, publish the results and notify relevant risk management authorities. These investigations help to improve knowledge and raise awareness of local flooding and inform local flood strategies and investment. The Local Government Settlement provides funding for local authorities and the services they deliver. This includes the management of local flood risk and flood investigations. Flood investigations could be used to identify and support new flood projects, which could secure funding from the government’s record £2.65 billion investment programme. Defra has worked with lead local flood authorities to develop non-statutory guidance for carrying out flood investigations. The guidance was published in April 2025 and provides a best practice framework for producing clear and consistent reports. It can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support landowners with riparian rights.

Working with partners and stakeholders, the Environment Agency (EA) published new guidance for riparian landowners in 2024 on Your Watercourse: rights and roles. This new, easily accessible guidance aims to increase riparian landowners understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The guidance is assisting local teams in raising public awareness at events and during in person conversations with riparian owners. Information is also available on GOV.UK on both riparian ownership, maintenance and permitting. The EA has also delivered learning sessions with regional advisors from the National Farmers Union and Country Land and Business Association, allowing them to better advise their members on riparian responsibilities. Some works by riparian owners may require a formal permission from the relevant authority before they can be carried out. This is to ensure that impacts on flood risk, land drainage and the environment can be managed. Information about this is also available on GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's Review of affordability and availability of flood insurance to help evaluate the effectiveness of FloodRe, published in October 2022, if he will publish the raw data of the BMG quantitative survey of households.

The department has no plans to publish this data. Conclusions, research methodology and materials for the 2022 review of affordability and availability of flood insurance can be found here. Conclusions, research methodology and materials for the Independent review of flood insurance in Doncaster can be found here.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Independent review of flood insurance in Doncaster led by Amanda Blanc, published on 14 April 2020, if he will publish the raw data of the BMG quantitative survey of consumers and businesses.

The department has no plans to publish this data. Conclusions, research methodology and materials for the 2022 review of affordability and availability of flood insurance can be found here. Conclusions, research methodology and materials for the Independent review of flood insurance in Doncaster can be found here.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support farmers following the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

This Government is proud to have secured the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country’s history, with £5 billion being spent to support farmers over a 2-year period. Defra has closed the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for the submission of new applications, existing agreements will continue. Every penny in all existing SFI agreements will be paid to farmers, and outstanding eligible applications that have been submitted will be processed. We will provide further details about the reformed SFI offer once the Spending Review has been completed. Whilst we are developing the reformed SFI offer, other schemes will still be available. SFI is an important offer, but it is part of a wider package. We remain committed to investing in agri-environment schemes. We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; and we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome. Funding from the farming budget also supports the provision of advice within the sector. The Farming Advice Service can assist farmers to review what advice and guidance is available to meet their business needs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support farmers following the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive to new applicants.

This Government is proud to have secured the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country’s history, with £5 billion being spent to support farmers over a two-year period. Following the announcement that Defra has closed SFI for the submission of new applications, outstanding eligible applications that have been submitted will be processed. SFI is an important offer, but it is part of a wider package. We remain committed to investing in agri-environment schemes. We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; and we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome. Funding from the farming budget also supports the provision of advice within the sector. The Farming Advice Service can assist farmers to review what advice and guidance is available to meet their business needs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with the (a) Country Land and Business Association, (b) National Farmer's Union, (c) Tenant Farmers Association and (d) other industry bodies to help support working farms.

The Government is working to ensure farming becomes more profitable. That is the best way to make farming businesses viable for the future and ensure the long-term food security this country needs. We regularly meet and discuss Defra’s policies with a range of farming stakeholders, including the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the National Farmers Union (NFU), and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA). Since appointment, the Secretary of State has spoken at 4 farming conferences, and had 5 meetings with the CLA, 7 with the NFU and 13 with other organisations. We will continue to listen to farmers’ concerns to ensure their views are heard.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the new Border Target Operating Model (a) generally and (b) at tackling the illegal import of products of animal origin.

Defra continues to monitor and review the impact of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), including the Border Control Post at Sevington. We are working closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) likelihood of an African Swine Fever outbreak in the UK and (b) economic impact of such an outbreak.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Epping Forest, on 28 October 2024 PQ 10798.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Immediate measures to step up safeguards against African swine fever from Europe, published on 26 September 2024, to help prev

Defra has made additional funding of £1.9 million available to Dover District Council for the Port Health Authority, for the remainder of this financial year (2024 to 2025), to support Border Force to conduct safeguarding checks on the illegal import of p...

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled African swine fever: how to spot and report the disease, updated on 27 September 2024, whether he plans to ban all personal imports

Preventing an outbreak of African swine fever in the UK is one of Defra’s key biosecurity priorities. The Department keeps policy on personal imports under constant review and works closely with the devolved governments on contingency planning and prevent...

Food and Rural Affairs, what the eligibility criteria was for the expanded Farming Recovery Fund.

Defra is aware of the ongoing challenges farmers have been facing following the winter storms and the wet weather in late 2023 and early 2024. Defra is committed to maintaining food production and supporting thriving farm businesses as well as protecting ...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support flood defence and preparedness works in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.

The Environment Agency (EA) serves as a Category 1 responder, offering flood warning services and managing various flood management projects. Post-2023 floods, Suffolk’s flood warning areas were refined for enhanced accuracy, with changes effective from N...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Environment Agency on clarifying its position relating to the ability of landowners to maintain stretches of waterway on their land to help reduce

The Environment Agency has proactively engaged riparian landowners setting out responsibilities, where there might be exemptions and how they can get help. This has already reached several communities affected in Storm Babet – in Central Suffolk and North...