The Prime Minister announced on 14 May in the draft legislative programme that the Government intend to publish a draft Floods and Water Bill for consultation in 2009. The provisions of the Bill are currently being scoped, and will need to reflect the recommendations in Sir Michael Pitt’s final report on last summer’s floods, but I wish to inform the House that it is the Government’s intention that the draft Bill will:

streamline current flood and coastal erosion risk management legislation, including the interrelationship of roles and responsibilities between the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. In line with the Government’s strategy “Making Space for Water”, I can confirm that the Environment Agency will take on a new strategic overview role for flood risk management in England from whatever source;

revise existing legislation which talks in terms of ‘defence’ from flooding, to provide for a more comprehensive approach to managing all flooding risks. A new Floods Bill will allow us to reflect all types of flooding, including surface water flooding and coastal erosion. We are preparing the draft Bill on the basis that local authorities will be given the responsibility for surface water flooding, under the Environment Agency’s overview. In particular, local authorities will have lead responsibility for surface water management plans;

review reservoir safety legislation which dates from the 1930s, to reflect current risk-based approaches, new threats, and the ageing nature of reservoirs in this country; and

explore the potential for reducing administrative burdens by addressing the complex legal instruments that DEFRA has to use under current legislation.

These steps are consistent with Sir Michael Pitt’s interim report which recommended that flooding legislation should be updated and streamlined under a single unifying Act of Parliament.

The current timetable is for a consultation draft of the Bill to be published in Spring 2009, with the Bill being available for introduction in a later parliamentary Session.