Background

An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) consists of Members of both Houses of Parliament who join together to pursue a particular topic or interest. They provide an opportunity for parliamentarians to engage with individuals and organisations outside Parliament who share an interest in the subject matter of their group.

APPG for Sustainable Flood and Drought Management

The APPG for Sustainable Flood and Drought Management was established in 2022 and seeks to communicate the practical challenges and capabilities of lowland water-level managers, such as Internal Drainage Boards. The APPG aims to bridge the significant gap in the coverage of flood and water level management-related policies being discussed at Westminster through other APPGs, which historically have focused primarily on water industry and insurance-related challenges. The APPG will improve understanding about the industry, their current responsibilities and challenges and also their unique capability to make a significant contribution towards the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and many other key Government Strategies.

The APPG’s formal statement of purpose is:

“To provide a forum for the discussion and progression of lowland sustainable water level management policies and to improve preparedness in the UK for global warming and its weather extremes.”

The APPG aims to meet 3-4 times each year and ADA provides the secretariat for the group. Some of the first topics to be tabled include the need for a rebalance of flood risk management funding to ensure rivers are adequately maintained and able to convey the volumes of water they are capable of, with the expectation of much increased rainfall. Other key issues to be tackled include the critical role that environmental stewardship schemes need to play in delivering “public goods for public money” in the form of flood risk reductions and to improve the industry’s ability to respond to climate change and reduce CO2 emissions through adjusted funding opportunities.

Agenda Minutes

Agenda  Minutes

Agenda  Minutes

Agenda Minutes

Agenda

Agenda

Agenda

ADA acts as the secretariat to the APPG alongside CIWEM. Both organisations support the APPG by suggesting and organising speakers who are able to provide a particular insight into topics relevant to the Group and answer any questions they may have.

ADA and CIWEM members would not ordinarily be invited to APPGs because meeting numbers are restricted and places must be reserved for Parliamentarians. However, there will be APPG topics proposed for which an ADA or CIWEM member or group of members or experts have a particular expertise so they may be asked to attend or present to the Group. For those otherwise requesting attendance at an APPG, if there places remaining which can be offered to members as observers, ADA and CIWEM will be pleased to make them available and very much welcome the support.

The registered contact for the group is Innes Thomson, Chief Executive at ADA (innes.thomson@ada.org.uk)

This is not an official website of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in these webpages are those of the group.