Second reading of Flood and Water Management Bill in Commons
16 December 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, moved the second reading of the Flood and Water Management Bill in the House of Commons. The Bill seeks to address the threat of flooding and water scarcity, both of which are predicted to increase with climate change
- Video and Audio: Flood and Water Management Bill
- Commons Hansard: Flood and Water Management Bill
- Bills before Parliament: Flood and Water Management Bill
- About Parliament: Passage of a Bill
Key areas of the Bill:
- requires the Environment Agency to create a National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, which a number of organisations will have to follow
- requires leading local flood authorities to create local flood risk management strategies
- enables the Environment Agency and local authorities more easily to carry out flood risk management works
- introduces a more risk-based approach to reservoir management
- changes the arrangements that would apply should a water company go into administration
- enables water companies more easily to control non-essential uses of water, such as the use of hosepipes
- enables water companies to offer concessions to community groups for surface water drainage charges
- requires the use of sustainable drainage systems in certain new developments
- introduces a mandatory building standard for sewers