Latest reports have shown that UK Ministers are topping up flood defence investment in England to a “record” £2.65bn, after accusing the previous government of “putting lives at risk” by under-spending.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that an extra £250m is being pledged on top of the £2.4bn previously announced, to shore up defences and protect an extra 66,500 properties from flooding over a two-year period.
At a flood relief scheme near her Hull constituency, the floods minister, Emma Hardy, said the Conservative government’s lack of investment was a “dereliction of duty”.
“We inherited flood assets in the worst condition on record, which I think is arguably a dereliction of duty of the last government,” she said.
“The first duty of any government is to protect its citizens, and they’re failing to protect citizens from flooding, putting lives at risk, putting businesses at risk, putting homes at risk. So what we’re saying is we need this massive increase in the budget to £2.65bn.”
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Damaging storms in recent years had also affected the quality of flood defence schemes, the government said, leaving many in need of urgent repair. Others needed an upgrade because they were built when the impact of the climate crisis was not as well known.
A total of 31 new projects are being given the green light, while £36m is being spent in 2025 to undertake urgent repairs to defences damaged during extreme flooding events.
Announcing the new funding, the government stated: “As well as protecting families from the devastation of flooding, the investment supports economic growth by protecting businesses, supporting jobs, and supporting a stable economy in the face of the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change.
“It will also protect farmland which has been badly hit by recent storms, in turn helping to safeguard farm businesses and farmers’ profits.”
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
