Dear Ms Bolton

Thank you for your recent e-mail to my colleague James Sheffield about flood management. I have been asked to reply.

By way of background, Defra provides significant funding from general taxation for flood and coastal erosion risk management and sets the overall policy. The Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards use their detailed local knowledge and risk assessments to identify proposed projects. Defra does not carry out any works or direct authorities as to which works are to be carried out but aims to ensure that the overall programme is as effective as possible.

Defra is also leading the development of a cross-Government strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management - Making Space for Water. This is looking at a broad range of sustainable measures to manage the risk from all forms of flooding and coastal erosion.

Defra's policy is to reduce risks to people, property and the environment from flooding and coastal erosion through the provision of defences, flood forecasting and warning systems, increased flood resilience of property, beneficial land management changes and discouragement of inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding. There is much more to be done to reduce the overall level of risk. Unfortunately large numbers of people will remain at risk from particularly severe exceptional events beyond the design standards of defences, and planning for emergencies is an important part of our work with the Environment Agency and other partners. The Government invests significant sums of money each year to reduce risk.

Defra's programme includes encouragement of Shoreline Management Plans, our joint research and development programme with the Environment Agency and funding of the Environment Agency's flood risk maps, Catchment Flood Management Plans and Public Awareness Campaigns. Given the importance to the public of flood insurance, the Government works closely with the Association of British Insurers on flood risk. More information is available via the following webpages:

www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/defrafm.pdf

www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/default.htm

With regard to dredging, the following leaflet from the Environment Agency explains why this is not usually considered an appropriate flood defence measure:

www.bidfordonavon-pc.gov.uk/pdfs/dredgingleaflet.pdf

More information about flood management in the Thames region is available via:

www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/thames/323150/335688/?lang=_e&version=1

I hope this is helpful.