The comments made by Emma Hardy, the Floods Minister, on 11 October 2026.
We’re facing extreme weather, with flood and drought intertwined, but the government is taking decisive action.
We’re taking a smarter, more joined-up approach to manage the nation’s water and set up our new Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce. This will put communities and businesses at the heart of our work and will make sure the UK is ready for whatever the weather brings next.
We are also backing that ambition with historic investment, including £4.2 billion for existing and new flood defences that will protect even more people in the years ahead.