Toby Perkins MP, Chair of the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee, has responded to news that the Government will invest £7.9bn in flood defences over the next decade.
The EAC’s remit is to consider the extent to which the policies and programmes of government departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, and to audit their performance against sustainable development and environmental protection targets.
The committee has already put pressure on government this month to accelerate publishing its response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) annual assessment report.
Toby Perkins MP, said:
“Today’s news is a welcome sign that Government is taking flooding seriously. Flood damage can devastate communities – as my Committee has already heard loud and clear throughout our ongoing inquiry into flood resilience – and it is vital that the Government puts forward the funding and support communities need to recover.
“That this funding is long-term and includes nature-based solutions like restoring crucial wetlands, is key to the success of this investment. As our inquiry continues, I look forward to scrutinising just how and where this money will be spent, and how it will give communities the peace of mind that climate change will not wash away their lives and livelihoods.”
