To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans the Government has to release a civil contingencies response to a severe flooding scenario. (174280)

I have been asked to reply.

DEFRA’s Lead Government Department Plan for flooding in England, which is published on the DEFRA website, draws on the arrangements in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. At national level, flood events will be co-ordinated by DEFRA with escalation of serious flooding to Cabinet Office briefing room (COBR). The operational response is led by the police in Gold Command.

At the local level, responders are required to assess the risk of flooding and prepare contingency plans accordingly. Where required, the operational response is led by the police in conjunction with other emergency services, local authorities and others including the Environment Agency.