Emma Hardy

That is absolutely at the forefront of my mind. Having been to see some of the farmers this year and before the election, and having had those conversations, I am actively looking at what would be a good solution to support our rural communities, bearing in mind the comment that although there may be fewer properties, that does not lessen the impact. For the constituency of the hon. Member for Rutland and Stamford, the EA is developing a new hydraulic model and hydrology for the catchment to provide further information and a foundation for future flood risk management in the area. It would probably be helpful if the EA reached out to have a conversation with her to explain that in detail. Just yesterday, we announced a £1.4 billion investment in flooding in 2026-27, which will help to protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses, and funding for more than 600 flood schemes across the country, including upgraded barriers, embankments and natural flood management projects that slow the flow, of which I am a huge fan. It includes £5.5 million for the lower risk debris screens project that will increase flood resilience in the hon. Member’s constituency and other Members’ constituencies, as part of wider investment across the east midlands. More than £260 million will be spent managing, maintaining and repairing EA assets, including those damaged by Storm Goretti and Storm Chandra, ensuring that vital protections remain strong when communities need them most. The investment forms part of the largest flood defence programme in English history, with at least £10.5 billion invested between 2024 and 2036 to protect homes, businesses and critical infrastructure in every corner of the country from the growing threat of flooding. I am very happy to take away the question on how quickly section 19 reports are done. I am always mindful of how hard-working our local councillors are. They need to do something well and in a timely way, and there can be a tension between the two, but is important that section 19 reports are completed as quickly as possible, so that we can really understand what has happened and hopefully do something to mitigate it in future. On the point the hon. Lady made about council tax, I will have to take that to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.